Forbidden Romance
by KibaSin
Summary: A taste of what was never meant to be. A demon and a miko are placed together in many different ways within these prompts and contest entries. Hiei x Kagome Collection
1. Frozen Treat

**_Forbidden Romance_**

_**By:** KibaSin/Kiba_

**_Summary:_** _A taste of what was never meant to be. A demon and a miko placed together in many different ways within these prompts and contest entries. Hiei/Kagome Collection_

_**Disclaimer: **I hold no ownership to Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respectable owners, while I merely gain self-accomplishment from writing these._

_**Genre:** Romance/General_

_**Rating:** T_

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**Note:** So I won't be cluttering up my one-shot file with all Hiei/Kagome stuff, I have created this file called "Forbidden Romance". That way I can easily put all of my Hiei/Kagome contest entries and prompts into a single file, instead of throwing them into "Past Time" every week.

* * *

**Title:** Frozen Treat

**Summary:** She might hate what happened, but he rather liked it.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Oh, no!" for The Deadliest Sin; September 17

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 672

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Slowly, it tilted to the side. She did not notice, continuing to take long licks to her hearts content. He was fascinated by it, really. Especially the way her breast lifted in her low cut shirt every time she moved her arm, allowing the treat to tilt a little more. Finally, unable to take any more, he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Oh, crap!"

Snapping his attention back toward her, a small smirk slowly tilted his lips when he saw her. He should have expected it to happen, really, but it was rather humorous to see her fuming over such a thing.

Unfortunately, she noticed the look. "Hey! This is _not_ funny! This is my favorite shirt and there's ice cream in it!"

He did not reply.

She became angrier, snapping, "You are _so_ insensitive! I have had this shirt since I can remember, and it's ruined! Look at it! I'll _never_ get this stain out!"

Oh, he _was_ looking. However, he saw one flaw in her little rant. "I do not see why you are complaining. It is only a piece of cloth. You can buy another one exactly like it."

"Agh!" she cried. "You just don't understand. This is my favorite shirt because I've had it for so long. I don't care what it looks like!"

"Then you should not care that there is a stain in it," he retorted.

"You know what," her anger was _very_ clear, "never mind. You're never going to understand the importance of this shirt."

With that said, she began to dig her fingers into her cleavage, striving to get rid of the mess. She never seemed to realize that she was putting on quite a show for him, nor did she realize that her breasts were so close to breaking free of their tight confines. He noticed, though, just as he noticed the way she stuck the rest of the frozen treat into her mouth afterward.

That was _probably_ the reason he was suddenly on his feet and striding toward her.

She noticed him when his shadow fell over her, looking up with a confused look on her face. "Uh," she said intelligently. "What do you want, Hiei?" Her anger was clearly forgotten, and for that Hiei was glad. His train of thought did not have anger written anywhere on it.

He knelt before her, giving a small smirk at the look on her face.

"Hiei?" she blinked. He knew that she would not mind him being so close, but he doubted she expected what came next. In fact, he was not surprised that she gave a small squeak when he leaned forward, extended his tongue, and gathered up some of the ice cream on his tongue. He continued for quite some time, feeling her fingers snake into the hair at the back of his neck.

"There," he said, pulling away. "Now you don't have to worry about it, woman."

She was blushing wildly, and smiled a little. Her scent told him that she wanted to continue what he started, and he would have been more than willing if she had not looked down. It was then that her smile vanished, and she whimpered, "Oh, no! Now there's salvia in it! Look at this!"

Hiei ignored his mate's whimpering, knowing that the phase would pass. Her condition had only made them worse, but he was learning to deal with each one that slammed him in the face.

Rolling the taste in his mouth, he glanced down at her once more. He did not actually like sweets all that much, but he found that it was much better when she was playing the role of a dish.

"Poor, poor shirt!"

Noticing the tears in her eyes, he decided it was time for a quick distraction. Crying females were not something he had ever wanted to handle, and he dreaded even smelling the scent of her tears. Hiei found that he was too slow, though, for tears began to leak from her eyes.

_Shit._

_--Fin_


	2. Carried Away

**Title:** Carried Away

**Summary:** He loved her, and he would always love her. Hiei/Kagome

**Fandom:** YYH/IY

**Disclaimer:** I hold ownership to nothing but the words I have written.

**Contest Entry:** Songfic; Written for the Kagome-x-Hiei club on Deviantart

**Song Used:** When Your Heart Stops Beating – Plus 44

**Word Count:** 3,099

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**_Note:_** You should also be aware that o0KittyBlue0o drew an amazingly awesome piece of fanart for this at: http:// o0kittyblue0o. deviantart. com/art/Because-126599301.

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_Turn it up I never wanna go home  
I only wanna be part of your breakdown  
She got caught by the four on the floor  
It picked her up and she'll never get let down_

* * *

Enma never knew who it was; he only knew that his precious miko had committed a sin. She had fallen from grace and allowed a demon to love her physically, pouring her emotions and energy into the act. Her ability had spiked, warning all, and it was the only clue that Enma had.

But, when he questioned her about it, she did not deny it. She refused to; she loved the demon she gave herself to. She would never deny loving someone, no matter how much Enma wished it otherwise, so she was ready to sign her own death warrant. She was ready to give herself over to Enma's punishment, because she knew the law and she knew that her demon lover would be killed when Enma twisted her words and made it seem like his fault entirely.

She could never wish death upon another.

Yet, at times like these, Hiei wished she would.

* * *

_And now I can't stop thinking about it  
All you people at the top don't know nothing about it  
We don't give a fuck what the price is  
So just leave us to our own devices and we'll leave you alone_

* * *

He did not wish for her to die. He had known what touching her meant, yet she had begged him, wanted it, and he had relented. He had touched a miko in the most sinful of ways, damned himself, and yet he had loved every minute of it. Loved it so much that he hissed and did not truly care what those above him thought.

He loved her, what more could he explain.

True, he was a demon. He was never meant to be with someone so pure, so loving, but when given the opportunity, he had snatched it up without a thought. He had decided to open himself, give all of himself to her, and was returned with her love and compassion. To her it did not matter that he was a demon and she was a miko, as long as she could say she loved him with all her heart. And he loved her even more for that single frame of mind.

Still, the knowledge that Enma had already begun to plan her death ceremony was unnerving. Hearing her speak so softly about it grated on his nerves, because she should at least care a little. Yet, he knew she did. She did not want to leave him all alone in the world again, but knew that giving him up would end with at least one or both of them dying.

So, she thanked whatever god she could for her abilities. Because it was only thanks to them that Enma would never know whom she had been with. They purified her body to the point that Enma could find no evidence of anything but penetration, and all because she did not wish him to. It acted out of instinct, fighting against the one it deemed a threat, and never allowed him a hint of who her lover was.

He never wished to see her die, and watching her move about as if everything was fine and normal struck him hard. He knew everything was not all right, that something bad would happen very quickly, and he did not want to see it happen.

If only Enma had some sort of compassion. If only the god knew a little bit of emotion. At least then he might have realized how much the world still needed Kagome's sweet, loving nature. Her ability to see beyond the evil and hatred, and touch the small amount of light that still remained. If only he could see that, because maybe then he would leave them alone.

* * *

_I'll be there when your heart stops beating  
I'll be there when your last breath's taken away  
In the dark when there's no one listening  
In the times when we both get carried away  
When we both get carried away_

* * *

"I promise."

It was only two simple words, but they held so much meaning. She had asked him a simple request, be there when she dies, and he had agreed. Agreed to watch Enma perform her execution, because he knew that him being there would keep her solid. She would not break as long as she knew he was there, and she would allow herself to fall into death's grip as long as he was there.

He hated himself. He should have told her no, allowed himself to get carried away and yelled at her. He should have told her that she was a fool to not give up his name, because he would rather see himself die than her. He should have put his foot down and demanded she right the wrong, because it would be better for his taint to leave the world rather than her light.

But he knew her. He knew she would shake her head and cry, telling him over and over again that she could not do that. She would not condemn him to death, no matter how much he screamed at her to do it. So, he agreed. He agreed, holding her closer and wishing that it would all just go away.

In return, she gave him a night of passion.

* * *

_She says it all without a thought in her head  
She says it all and she's pressed up against me  
A little something just to take off the edge  
A little more and I'll fall of the planet entirely_

* * *

She poured her entire being into the act, giving him a night to remember her by. Trying to tell him that everything would be ok, even if she was not there to help him through the night. Trying to tell him that he could continue on, even though she was not there to hold his hand and tell him how much she loved him. Trying to make him see it all, but all he saw was the bright light in her eyes and wished that it would never be extinguished.

He watched her, seeing the way the sweat formed along her brow and how her movements became erratic. Watched the way she pressed herself against him, trying to create as much friction as possible, and silently wished that they could stay like that forever. Silently wished that Enma would forget about his little execution and leave them to their own devices, if only so he would never have to let go of her sweet, sweet love.

If only so he never had to see that light fade away.

He was getting so close, just a few more heartbeats and he would explode into a million little pieces. Yet he did not want it to end, he never wanted it to end. He never wanted to have a cold night in their bed, knowing that she would never rest in it with him again. He never wanted to know she would not be there to heat his body or cause him to fall over the edge.

But, she insisted. She leaned over him, even as she tried so desperately to reach paradise, and whispered in his ear. "Promise me, Hiei. Promise me you'll be there, please."

She broke his wish to never know, and he growled as he grabbed her hips. His voice was rough and almost a snarl, as he forced her higher and higher. "I promise."

And again, he did not tell her no. He did not put his foot down and yell at her. He did not try to make her understand that he should be the one up on the platform waiting for execution. He did not try, because he only wanted to think about that moment. And, to make her happy, he agreed again, because he knew that doing so would make her think about their moment together then.

He knew that doing so would give them both what they wanted. He knew that doing so would give their love what it needed when it was becoming so strained. And he knew that doing so would allow her the chance to let go and fall over the edge with him.

* * *

_I'll be there when your heart stops beating  
I'll be there when your last breath's taken away  
In the dark when there's no one listening  
In the times when we both get carried away  
When we both get carried away_

* * *

"_I promise_."

Damn that promise. He did not want to watch his precious Kagome die; yet he knew the time was drawing near. Enma had already come and gone, leaving only the knowledge that soon she would die. Soon her light would be put out for eternity, never to be seen again because of his foolishness.

He never should have touched her. He never should have committed such a crime. It would have proved his love more than he ever had in their time together, for he would have allowed her to know he loved her so much he did not wish to see her die. Yet he doubted that would have meant much to her. She probably would have flashed those pretty, flaming blue eyes at him and he probably would have broke anyway, tarnishing his love whether he wanted to or not.

Oh, and how he loved the way she managed to push him. She brought him so close to the edge that he was positive he might hurt her, yet he knew he never would. She nudged him along to the point he almost thought he was a dog, but he knew she only did it to keep him on his toes. To make sure he was never tired of her, though he doubted he could ever become tired of his sweet, sweet Kagome.

But their time together was drawing to a close. The very fact stabbed at his heart, causing him more pain than a physical wound ever had. The small piece of knowledge hurt him, and he knew she saw it, because she was constantly trying to spend time with him now. She had even quit the little day job she had taken to keep up appearances, just to make sure they had as many little moments as they could together.

Hiei sighed, for he knew it should be him trying to make her life seem a little less bleak. He should be the one trying to make her smile, to laugh, to simply be happy, yet she was taking it upon herself to make him happy. She was taking it upon herself to make sure he had as many memories of her as she could, even though it was her that was going to die. And he wanted to shake her for it, try to make her think of herself for once in her life, but he knew he would not.

She would not be his Kagome if she acted any different. She would not be the little miko he had come to love if she did not put herself before others. She would not be anything that he knew her as if she did not do the things she did, and his heart hurt simply thinking about.

He did not want to watch her take in that last breath. He did not want to watch her die—her heart stopping in that single instant and signaling she would never be apart of his life again.

* * *

_I'll be there when your heart stops beating  
I'll be there when your last breath's taken away  
In the dark when there's no one listening  
In the times when we both get carried away_

* * *

He stood there silently, feeling numb to the point he did not notice the slight grip the fox had placed on his shoulder for a moment. Or the way the detective decided to pat his back. He was conscious to the actions, but he did not really feel them physically, and he knew the reason why.

They were the only ones that knew. They knew of his love and what he had done. They knew he was the reason his little miko was walking down the path to her death. They knew he was the reason why she took each step, moving closer and closer to Enma, and smiling while she did so.

He wanted to close his eyes. He wanted to stop watching. He did not want to see her smile while she died, nor did he want to see her beautiful eyes close for the last time. He did not want to see his sin washed away, because he wanted to hold onto it with all his might.

He wanted her to stay alive.

She reached the platform, and he realized that her smile had almost brightened while looking upon her death. She had come to terms with what was going to happen, and she was ready to take the punishment. She was ready, because she knew that it meant he would stay alive.

It angered him, beginning to wash away the numbness that he felt. To watch her smile while she knelt to receive her punishment. To watch her be so ready to embrace death, with only the knowledge that it would not come to him. Damn it, he should be the one kneeling on that platform, ready and willing to give up his life for her. He should be the one spitting in the face of the gods, telling them that they could do what they wished with him, because he was glad he had bedded a miko.

It was easy to be angered with her, but it was even easier to turn that anger upon the one speaking once she knelt. Enma was the fool that thought he should break apart such a loving soul, all because of his petty little rules. He was the one that was going to take away what made him happy. He was the one that was sentencing death to the purest person in the world.

And he should die for it.

* * *

_When we both get carried away  
When we both get carried away  
(I'll be there when your heart stops beating)  
When we both get carried away  
(In the dark when there's no one listening)  
When we both get carried away_

* * *

Hiei listened to Enma go on and on about Kagome's sin. He began to crack in that moment, because Enma knew nothing of what he spoke of. His sweet, little miko's purity outweighed any sin she might commit; yet the god could not see it. He saw only the crime, only the small taint that bedding and loving a demon brought, and he wanted to smite it.

The fox's hand returned to his shoulder, probably trying to tell him to calm down, but he could not be appeased. Enma's words sliced into his conscious, and he hated the god more than ever for what he said. He had no right to speak about his miko in such a way. He had no right to make her seem like a criminal, when her only crime was love.

But, it was seeing his miko look so defenseless and ready to die that forced him to break entirely. He could not stand the thought of her death, and seeing her kneeling in defeat was the final straw. He would not stand by anymore, no matter how much she had begged him not to give up his life, too. He would not stand by and watch her die, not when all he wanted to do was save her and allow their love to blossom into something so beautiful he could not imagine it.

The wards on his arm burned to ash within moments, while Enma raised his arm. But, before the god could perform his punishment, the dragon was already rising from his body and taking flight. It forced the god's attention to him, along with all those present, for they knew he posed a serious threat while the dragon was in play.

"Hiei," the miko whispered brokenly. She had never wanted to see him fight, knowing that it could mean his death. She had never wanted that. Only to make sure he could continue to live, and perhaps love again someday.

The twist in his chest, the look in her eyes, and the knowledge that she might die had already carried him away, though. He was flying on wings of rage, and he was prepared to fight for her. He was ready to die with her, because he refused to simply stand there and watch her suck in her last breath. He refused, and the swirling blackness of the dragon wrapping around him proved that point nicely.

He was not a coward that hid in the shadows. He would be by her side, whether it was in life or in death. And so, he went for the god's throat.

_--Fin_


	3. Disguise

**Title:** Disguise

**Summary:** There was something odd about her, but Hiei could not pinpoint what it was.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Things aren't always what they seem" for The Deadliest Sin; October 7

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 4,589

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**Note:** This one is not my best. I'm actually not very satisfied with the ending, but I could not resist.

* * *

There was nothing all that special about the girl, yet something told him that something was going to happen on this day. He almost scoffed at the feeling, for he knew from his vigilance that she was nothing more than a human. She isolated herself a little more than normal humans, but she was human nonetheless.

He was not even sure why he had begun to watch the girl in the first place. He was positive it had started when he was bored, but why the human girl had managed to snag his attention was unknown. As was the reason it had extended from a day of boredom to a lengthy amount of time just watching her.

He supposed the girl intrigued him. Her strange ability to bring him back time and again snagged his curiosity, though he often wondered why he did not just shove his sword through her chest.

Oh, yes, that damn Reikai brat. Killing the girl, despite the fact she set him on edge continuously, would drop him into that little cell the Reikai had set up especially for him. Though, there was a way around that. It would be just as easy to drag the girl into the Makai and allow the lesser demons the chance to feast on her flesh, but something about the girl told him that she would survive.

It just did not make sense. She did not have an extraordinary amount of energy, she never showed that she sensed him, and she certainly was not a demon in disguise. So, there was nothing he could think of that would not only catch his interest, but make him _know_ something was going to happen that day. Something that would revolve around the girl, though the very idea was farfetched.

Shaking his head, he continued to watch the girl. She was interacting with her friends at the moment, laughing and smiling, while they tried to push her into doing what they wanted. He almost sneered at the typical human behavior, because he could tell instantly that the girl did not want to go out with that idiot male that could not understand she did not want his affection.

Something about that irked him, as well. Perhaps it was the constant attention the girl got, or the fact that the male was trying to gain something that was not his to gain. Hiei was not even sure where the thought had come from, but somewhere in his mind, he knew that that human boy was not worthy of her attention. He was not worthy of even her presence, yet he managed to obtain that much from time to time.

Sighing, Hiei debated where any of the thoughts were coming from. He detected nothing out of the ordinary with the girl, so why was she so fascinating? She was not powerful, overly beautiful, or the wisest thing he had ever seen, so the entire situation made no sense to him.

Finally, frustrated and uncaring of whether something was going to happen because of the girl, Hiei flitted away from the shrine she called home. His observation of the girl usually ended in the same way, so it was not a surprise as he moved into the deeper city of Tokyo. He just could not handle being in her presence for so long, and again that made no sense, because there was _nothing_ special about that girl.

Yet, as he moved away, he almost hissed when the tiny device in his pocket began to vibrate. He almost reached in to crush it, but knew that the damn Reikai brat would be on his tail for doing such a thing. So, after ignoring it the first time, Hiei finally grabbed and snapped it open when it began its second round of vibrations.

"Oh, there you are, Hiei!" Botan exclaimed.

"What do you want?" Hiei snarled.

Botan's happy exterior faded a little, as she replied, "Well, Koenma says that he needs you immediately. I have already retrieved the rest of the gang, so I need to know your location."

Wanting to crush the device once more, Hiei quickly gave the reaper his location. Between the mystery of the girl and the bubbly nature of Botan, his day was quickly spiraling downhill. Not only that, but the trip to see Koenma was sure to be eventful. There was never a time when he did not witness the brat whining over something or the other, acting like the entire world was going to end in the next ten minutes. And, in Hiei's eyes, it was disgusting behavior for someone that labeled themselves a prince.

Within moments, Botan came to greet him. Instead of listening to what the reaper might have to say, Hiei stepped inside the portal she had left open. He stepped out in Koenma's office on the other side, and heard Botan's huff as she came through behind him. However, Hiei was not in the mood and he really did not care.

He hated playing lap dog for the Reikai. He hated being confined to the Tokyo district. He hated basically everything Koenma had forced upon him since Yusuke had defeated him—which he still believed was a fluke. And, truthfully, he was beginning to think his whole scheme to obtain that stupid sword was the most ridiculous thing he had ever done. He could have come up with better plan if he had put enough thought into it.

"Well, now that you're all here—" Koenma gave a hard suck on his pacifier as Yusuke butted in.

"What the fuck do you want now, toddler?" Yusuke complained. He had been taking a nice nap when the brat called, and he was rather grumpy at the moment. Especially since he had not gotten any sleep the night before because of a stupid C-class demon that decided night was the best time to slip through the barrier.

"Perhaps," Koenma twitched, "if you'd allow me to speak once in a while, Yusuke, you would know."

"Yeah well, hurry it up," Yusuke huffed.

"This is a very grave matter," Koenma stated, his eyes narrowing on the spirit detective. "I do not think you want to be using such an attitude when there is a chance of the world actually ending."

Yusuke scratched the back of his neck, continuing his 'I-really-don't-care' act.

"If you would please continue, Koenma," Kurama spoke up.

Kuwabara nodded in agreement. He had wondered what had gotten into Urameshi, but decided it probably was best not to ask at the moment. Koenma seemed serious enough when he said the world could end, so it was probably something to pay attention to.

"Yes, well," Koenma clasped his hands on his desk. "My father is dying."

Hiei's interest was almost instantly perked. If the king of Reikai was dying, that meant his son would have to take up his position. And, in that transaction, there was a very good chance he could sneak away without being caught. Which meant he would no longer have to follow the brat's orders, and he liked that idea a lot.

"Holy—"

"_WHAT_!" Botan screeched. "Koenma, sir, why didn't you tell any of us before now?"

"Because my father specifically asked me not to," Koenma replied in a harsh tone. Now was not the time to yell at him, especially with the order his father had given. "He has given me orders on how to precede, and hopefully save his life. That is where you come in." He looked at the group.

"How the heck are we going to save your old man?" Yusuke asked. Personally, he had never really liked Enma in the short time he had met him, and he really did not care if the big guy died.

"Yeah!" Kuwabara added.

Kurama nodded his head, saying, "Yes, there are very few things in the world that could stop a person, let alone a God, from dying. What makes you think we can find the answer to his problem?"

Koenma lowered his eyes, "You are not going to _try_ and find the answer, you _are_ going to find it. And, it's not a thing, it's a person. Actually, it's not really a person, either, but rather a creature of mythical origins."

Again, Hiei's interest was perked. He had almost stopped listening when he realized they were going to save the God, wondering how in the world he could stop it from happening. Killing the two humans and the fox seemed easy enough, but Koenma would probably have control of the SDF by then and would send the troops after him. Besides, though the thought of getting rid of the two annoying humans are entertaining, the fox would probably give him more trouble than he was worth.

"What?" Yusuke laughed. The kid actually expected them to find some mythical creature that was, as the sentence stated, probably did not exist! It was just so rich. "You want us to find some creature that probably doesn't even exist?"

"I did not stutter," Koenma snapped. "My father is one of the Gods who created her, and knows her location. You are to go and retrieve her with the message that my father is dying. She will come to repay the debt she has."

"Seriously, though, how is _she_ so mythical if she exists?" Yusuke asked out of curiosity.

"Many creatures are considered mythical because there are so few of them, Yusuke," Kurama spoke up. "Humans label demons as mythical simply because they believe there are none."

"Yeah, well…" Yusuke wanted to argue, but he knew Kurama was right.

"Urameshi's got a point, though," Kuwabara joined in. "What is she if she's considered mythical?"

Koenma's eyebrow twitched, as he growled, "If you must know, she is a phoenix."

"A phoenix?" Kurama reiterated in curiosity.

Hiei blinked. The last he had heard of the phoenix, they had been wiped from the face of the planet. The last to survive had suffered through the hands of cruelty before it escaped and brought terror to those that had harmed it. Then, in spite, it attacked as much evil as it possibly could, and the Gods were forced to intervene, because the phoenix had labeled everything and anything evil. It had not survived once it was contained.

"Yes," Koenma rolled his eyes. Really, was it too much to ask for them to simply do their job? "Long ago, during a battle that has been long forgotten—"

"Whoa, hold up," Yusuke raised his hand. "If it's _long forgotten_, how do you remember it?"

"_Because_, when I say long forgotten, I mean by the Ningen and Makai." Koenma tensed a little more, feeling the strain it took to keep himself from trying to fill his father's position. His father would not die, so there was no reason to allow his power to completely escape.

Yusuke snorted in reply.

"Anyway," Koenma continued. "During this battle, a young girl stood against the impossible. Her enemy had gained control of the object she was supposed to protect, giving him strength unimaginable. Her enemy struck down her companions, and as he went for her, she cried out to the heavens. In response, the Gods gave her an ancient power that transformed her, and she not only defeated her enemy but also destroyed the object that was thought to be indestructible. She released the souls that the object was made of, and was told that for her gift she would one day have to pay a debt."

"And today is that day," Kurama finished.

Koenma nodded.

Botan placed her fingers against her lip, muttering, "Koenma, sir?"

"Hm, yes?" Koenma asked, turning to her.

"Don't you think it best they go as soon as possible?" Botan replied. "There is no telling how much more time Enma-sama has and…"

"Oh, yes!" Koenma sprang from his seat. "Of course! This is an emergency, we don't have time for talking!"

"Now he tells us," Yusuke nudged Kuwabara in the arm, earning a slight smile from the taller male. Seriously, he would never understand how the toddler got anything done. He jumped all over the place like everything was going up in flames, and there was no possible way for him to stop it.

"Botan," Koenma called her forth. "Here is the location of the phoenix." He handed her a piece of paper. "You will take the detectives there and have them explain the situation to her. She will—"

"Hey!" Yusuke spoke up, _again_. "If she owes this debt, why the hell do we all need to go tell her? I thought she'd be more than happy to come to your daddy's aide."

Koenma glared at him, saying, "She is not a very trustworthy person when it comes to new people. She might smile and act nice, but she will not trust you until she is positive you will not harm her. It was something that the Gods implanted in her when she was created so she would not end up like the rest of her race. So, if there are four of you claiming the same thing, she will be more likely to follow you."

"But—" Kuwabara tried to argue. Urameshi had a good point. And he really did not like the idea that they might have to force the phoenix to come with them, though something told him the creature would not come easily. There was a high chance they could be injured or killed because of her wrath, since he had no doubt a mythical creature like her would be powerful.

"So, what if she's not?" Yusuke asked.

"Then you will return here and I will go speak with her!" Koenma yelled. "She will know my spiritual energy!"

"Why the hell don't you just do that in the first—" Yusuke started.

"Botan, portal!" Koenma snapped.

"Right away, Koenma, sir!" Botan saluted. With a flick of her wrist, the detectives were falling into a portal that opened up at their feet. She had studied the location on the paper more than enough to know where they were going, and she quickly hopped into the portal after them.

When Yusuke landed, he began to complain loudly.

However, when Hiei landed, he was instantly alert. His eyes swiveled from side to side, because he knew the location they had been sent to. It was that girl's shrine.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked, sensing the fire demon's unease.

Hiei did not reply, instead choosing to gaze around the area. It seemed that the girl's idiot friends had left for the day, and only she remained. Her family had left a few days before on a trip to Kyoto, so it was not surprising to find only her energy on the grounds. But, again, Hiei had to wonder why they had been sent to the girl's shrine. True, she radiated something that had snagged his attention, but there was nothing special about her.

But, as the pieces began to fall into place, the girl stepped from the house.

"I was wondering when you'd come out of hiding," she stated softly. "But I didn't think you'd have friends with you when you came."

The detectives looked at one another, before their eyes settled onto Hiei. The fire demon was glaring at the girl, a growling rising from his chest, and she in turn was looking straight at him.

"Is there something that you needed?" she asked.

Hiei was on edge. Something about the girl was different now. Earlier she had felt just like her idiotic friends, yet now something else radiated from her. Something much more powerful, and much more willing to turn nasty. Yet, as he thought about it, it made sense. She had always put him more on edge when she was farther away from other humans; while the feeling settled down each time she stepped completely into their presence.

Botan, hovering overhead, swooped in toward the girl. Smiling, she said, "We've come to ask you a favor, Kagome-sama."

The girl's eyes swerved to the reaper flying overhead, as she blinked. Her smile never faded, though something terrifying threatened them from just underneath the pleasant exterior. "Oh?" she asked. "You're a reaper, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Botan nodded.

"And you have come with the hybrid over there?" she asked, returning her sight to the male that she knew stalked her. She knew he felt it, the power she had been given, and she knew that he could not tell what it was. She had become a master at hiding it, making her seem normal, and not even his pretty little eye could pick it up.

"Um," Botan looked over toward Hiei, nodding. "Yes, I have."

"And what is it you want from me?" Kagome asked.

Botan began to reply, but when she realized the young woman was not looking at her, she snapped her mouth shut. It was clear that she did not want a reply from her, and Botan was almost angry over the fact. But, she decided that either way was fine, as long as the phoenix decided to come with them.

After a moment of silence, Kurama looked toward his ally. "Hiei, I believe she wants you to answer her."

"Hn," Hiei narrowed his eyes. What purpose could she have in doing so? He still was not convinced that she was the mythical phoenix that Koenma spoke of. So, clearly she was singling him out simply because she knew him. Though, he was rather surprised to find that she had sensed him, whereas he had believed she could sense nothing at all.

Her eyes burned with blue flames, digging into his soul. Again, she asked, "What is it you want from me, hybrid?"

Somehow, Hiei had the feeling that she was asking more questions then one in that statement.

"Come on, shorty, answer her," Kuwabara grumbled.

Turning to glare at the stupid human, Hiei finally glared into the girl's eyes. "We're here because a God has gotten into himself into a situation that he needs a phoenix to help him out of. You would not happen to know where we could find such a creature, do you?"

Slowly, a true smile formed on the girl's lips, as she began to laugh. After the laughter subsided, she said, "Oh, that is rich. '_You would not happen to know where we could find a such creature, do you?'_" She was clearly mocking him. "Such venom comes out of your mouth, hybrid."

"Perhaps antagonizing her is not the best option," Kurama coughed. He could see the flames within the young woman's eyes, and he knew that beneath the surface lurked a creature able to destroy them. The phoenix had always been a docile creature, but when provoked it could rival a God.

Hiei went to reply.

"I know what you're going to say, hybrid," Kagome smiled sweetly. Her smile was true, because she knew the demon and to her he was familiar. She had been watching him nearly as closely as he had been watching her, and to a certain degree she trusted him enough to continue and do so. And, from a mere glimpse of him, she knew that what he said would not be false. "There's no need to try and mock me anymore. I will go with you to see this God. I _owe_ them, after all."

Kurama pondered over her words, wondering if perhaps she was a bit bitter toward the Gods that gave her the form of a phoenix. It certainly seemed like it, though she did not complain. And, not only that, but he was curious as to why the phoenix decided to address Hiei and not the rest of them.

The phoenix turned her burning eyes to the reaper, saying, "I believe you will be needed to open the portal there, yes?"

"Oh, uh, yes," Botan nodded, smiling kindly. Those intense eyes staring at her unnerved her a bit, and she was almost glad the phoenix had decided not to address her. Hiei was more capable of handling fire than she was, and she really did not want to be burned.

When the portal opened, the girl waved her hand toward Hiei, saying, "Please, lead the way."

Hiei wanted to snap at her. He preferred her from a distance, though he was fascinated with the fact that she was a phoenix. Having such an ally could be good for him in the future, though she was quickly giving him more reasons to chop off her head. After all, she was _not_ just a human anymore, which meant he was more than able to kill her if he wanted to. Koenma could not whine over him killing something that was _not_ human.

They entered the portal, and once on the other side, were ushered by Koenma deeper into the Reikai. The prince was in near hysteria from trying to maintain his younger form, and was complaining the entire way that they had taken far too long in convincing her to come with them.

The phoenix brushed by them before they even reached the room, pushing aside the giant door with ease and gazing upon the God breathing harshly in his bed. She moved into the room with grace, practically gliding over the floor, and moved to his side. Then, when she reached him, she called out, "Enma. What have you gotten yourself into? I expected them to be whining over a lesser God, not the person that maintains this world."

Enma gave a slight, crooked laugh. He could not speak it seemed, and merely turned his pained eyes onto the small girl next to his giant bed. His uncovered arm was bleeding and looked nearly black, and it became clear that the medics had tried to do all they could. They had left Enma, knowing they could do nothing more, and knowing they had left him to die.

Hiei stood in the doorway with the rest of the group, watching carefully. Anything that could tell him why the girl seemed so small in comparison to what she really was would be helpful in the long run. Black mail was not something he was against using, and he was more than willing to use it against her. The damn girl had had him watching her for weeks, never giving a hint to what she was, and he wanted to hate her for that.

It was such a damn shame he found it so fascinating.

"Enma, is it your wish to be saved?" Kagome asked. She always asked that of those that she deemed worthy enough of saving, for she was not going to save anyone that did not wish to be saved. Everyone and everything deserved to die in peace if it so wished, and she would be more than willing to help them with it. Once, long ago, she might have grimaced with the idea, but her power had changed her view on the subject and she was more than willing now to let things burn.

"Of course it's his wish!" Koenma cried from the door.

"It will come from his lips," she replied softly, "or he will die."

Enma, understanding the reason she asked such a thing of him, gave a nod. The girl simply stared at him, though, and he almost wanted to laugh. His last battle had left him in pain, and he knew that he would be sucking in his dying breath soon. Very few creatures could kill a God, and he knew he should have been more careful while dancing with the black snake.

With the strength he could muster, Enma choked out, "You may… save me, phoenix."

Her eyes widened, as she said, "If that is your wish. My debt to you will be paid." The fires in her eyes danced in a frenzy of motion, as blue fire scorched through the room from her body. The spirit detectives were forced from the doorway, as the fire raged around the room, before it was soaked back up into her body the next instance.

Hiei, the least affected by the fire, turned his eyes upon the creature now perched upon Enma's bed. The black bird was beautiful. A crown of black and blue features seemed to dance behind her head, just as the long tail features seemed to dance with the blue flames they were made of. A long, silver beak extended from her head, opening a bit to release a trail of smoke. Her strikingly beautiful blue eyes gleamed as she gazed upon the God, before she leaned over him. The bird was not actually all that large, but the amount of power flowing from her body made it clear that her size could increase if she so wished it.

As if in slow motion, they watched as the giant God opened his mouth, and the bird tipped her head. She blinked a few times, and a thin trial of silver tears dripped into the Gods mouth. Yusuke made a sound of disgust in the back of his throat, while the God grunted in pain. His arm began to smoke the next instance, the blackness fading away rapidly, while the wound sealed itself. Then, once it was done, the God collapsed back on his pillow.

Koenma, feeling the strain still on him, raced out into the hallway and began to snap orders. "Quick, you fools! Get someone that can help my father recover the energy he's lost, before the phoenix's efforts are in vain!"

Rising into the air, the phoenix swooped over to where they stood, a trial of blazing blue fire brightening up the room as she returned to her more human state. She smiled at the gaping mouth of Yusuke, before turning her attention back to the hybrid that was slightly glaring at her. She knew his curiosity had not been quenched, and she knew she could expect him to watch her for quite some time from this moment on.

"That was so gross!" Yusuke continued to make sounds of disgust, causing Kuwabara to turn in color. The taller man pushed him a bit, snapping to knock it off, before he retaliated.

Within moments they were fighting.

"I believe I would like to go home now," Kagome stated.

"Oh, of course," Koenma was almost instantly back at her side. "I will call Botan and you may be on your way."

Nodding, her eyes slid over to the hybrid, and she smiled a little more. "I do hope, _Hiei_, that in the future you remember that things are not always as they seem. I am more than a human girl that appears odd, just as I know you are more than you seem."

Wondering what she knew, as Botan came to fetch her, Hiei decided that further observation of the phoenix was in order. Her last words made him believe she could read minds, and he was not only determined to find a way to stop her from reading his, but also to gain her as an ally. After all, someone of her strength could definitely help him in severing his ties with the Reikai brat.

And, at least now he knew the reason she intrigued him.

A phoenix was definitely more interesting than a human.

_--Fin_


	4. Spoiled

**Title:** Spoiled

**Summary:** He would never be surprised with their stupidity.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Alone at night" for The Deadliest Sin; October 29

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 1,816

* * *

**Note:** Before I forget, you can locate the Deadliest Sin board at (http :// thedeadliestsin . proboards55 . com / index . cgi) without the spaces. If you decide to become a member, they're currently holding a contest that you can vote for, which ends on Nov. 7, 2008.

* * *

_Damn it_, he thought.

His eyebrow twitched a bit in irritation, as he looked down upon the group gathered together. That was only the beginning, though, since it got _much_ worse. First, that damn fox would not sit ten feet away from his new mate, and second, that damn detective continued to give her lewd looks. He knew they were both doing it just to screw with him—considering he had once told them he would _never_ touch her—but they were quickly stepping on his last nerve.

He did not even see the reason for this little get together. Not only was it ridiculous in the first place, since the detective's female _just_ wanted to speak with his mate, but it had pulled Kagome away from him. And, really, anything that managed to pull his mate out from under him was something that needed to die, slowly.

Like that damn fox.

Hiei glared harder into his back, daring him to move another inch when he saw him move. The fox was far superior when it came to irritating him, which was probably the reason he was taking it upon himself to do so. The detective chose only to look, often times getting smacked by his female, and _truly_ that was not as annoying as the fox's constant need to _try_ and touch what belonged to him. Though, he had to admit that Kagome was doing a good job at keeping the fox at bay.

Swiftly, his glare turned to the detective, as he leered at his mate before taking a peek to see if he was watching. A deep growl echoed from his chest, as he debated on grabbing his mate and returning to their room. At least there he would not have to put up with this shit—and he could find pleasure after coaxing his mate away from her anger.

However, there was also the factor of Keiko's whining afterward, because she _really_ needed to talk with Kagome. He wanted to snort at the very idea, since one did not discuss something important—at least she had _made_ it sound important enough to get Kagome to leave him—with an entire group of people. One did not invite a bunch of people in order to _talk_ with a single person, and they certainly did not turn it into a _party_.

Frowning, he decided the detective's female put a whole new label on stupid.

Rolling his eyes back, Hiei glared up through the leaves surrounding him. The sun glared back at him through the foliage, taunting him with the bright daylight. It mocked him silently, telling him that the day was not yet gone and his mate would not be climbing into his bed anytime soon. Which meant she would be spending more time around the ridiculous fools beneath him.

Allowing his eyebrow to twitch once more, his claws dug into the bark of the tree beneath him. He could only hope his mate did not pick up some trait from any of them. She would always be the pretty little priestess in his eyes, but the very thought of her developing a perverted tendency in public or became confused with even the simplest of situations made him shudder. His only hope could be that if she picked up anything—anything at all—she picked up a bit more innocence of mind from Yukina or intellect from Kurama.

_**Damn it, Kurama**_, he growled.

_Yes?_ The fox replied in an innocent tone, but Hiei knew his game.

_**Back off**_, he finally hissed. He was sick of seeing that damn fox sit so close to his mate, when he knew it would be some time yet before he got his hands back on her. The detective _looking_ was bad enough; he did not need the subtle advances of the fox on top of it. True, the fox might not be sick enough to try and go after someone else's mate, but his very attempt at irritating him was working quite well.

'_Yeah, like that's gonna happen_,' Youko butted in. '_We're having a sweet time down here with _your_ miko. Like we're giving that up just because you refuse to show anything outside your little room.'_

Kurama, slowly, shifted away from Kagome, and the tension in Hiei's body lessened a little. For the moment it was enough, since he knew it would be some time before he would whisk his mate away from the damn get together she had been pulled into. Now, if he could only find a way to remove the detective's eyes without digging them out of his head, he would be good.

The only reason he did not jump down and crash the entire thing _was_ because he knew she would return to him later. She would rush into his arms, ready to spend the night alone with him, and he anticipated that moment. She would be away from the irritating chatter of their friends, the constant need to socialize, and finally be able to get back to giving him what he wanted from his new mate.

Glaring up at the sun once more, Hiei wished it would die. Slowly and painfully, and as it fell from the sky, it needed to scream in pure agony. Then night would rule and his mate would have no reason to ever leave him, because there would be no stupid sunlight to make her think of interacting with other people or simply bathing in it. Though, as the thought went through his head, there _were_ a few ways for him to enjoy the sunlight, too, if she ever chose to do such a thing.

He doubted she would, though—at least, not without a lot of coaxing first.

* * *

His hand trailed along her back, causing her to giggle slightly.

"Hiei, what's gotten into you?" Kagome laughed. She had had a feeling that he had been pissed when Keiko came to take her away, but she _did_ need to get away once in a while. Too much with one person could easily make her irritable, and she doubted her mate wanted her yelling at him. Considering the one time it had happened, she was going to assume he _never_ wanted it to happen again.

Instead of replying, he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. She easily responded, allowing his tongue to sweep deep into her cavern, and he delighted in the taste of her. The taste, the heat, and the mere knowledge that the priestess beneath him was finally where she belonged quickly shot his arousal to new heights. His mouth slanted across hers, changing the angle with ease, and he dove deeper as he began to explore the dip of her waist with his hands.

He had had to wait _far_ too long. So, he was going to make sure this was his finest moment. He had so many things planned after sitting in that tree for so long, damning the sun, the fox and the detective, and wishing they would all just die. He had _so_ many things planned, but first he planned on teasing his mate to the point she would understand his frustration for the day and never leave their bed again.

At least, not until she absolutely had to.

Alone, the room lit softly by the moonlight leaking in through the single window, he quickly left his sweet Kagome out of breath. She panted lightly as he ripped his mouth away, favoring her chin for a few seconds, before attacking the slender expanse of her neck. He wanted to touch every part of her, memorize her body again _and_ again, and it was finally the perfect time to do so.

His fingers popped open the buttons of her shirt, exposing enough cleavage that he could dip his tongue into the deep valley. His mate loved it, moaning softly for him, and as he pulled more of the stupid buttons from their holes, he gazed upon her. She was so beautiful in the moonlight, her thick black hair spread out on the bed beneath them and her deep, shining sapphire eyes partly closed in pleasure. So beautiful, and he was glad to have finally dragged her back into bed to spend some real, quality alone time with him.

Pulling her shirt open, Hiei leaned his head down to suck at the skin above her bra. His crimson eyes focused entirely on her, causing her to flush, and he knew she wanted him to finally pop open the ridiculous contraption used to lift her breasts. To take one of her sweet—

"_HEY_!" a voice hollered, as a fist pounded at the door. "Hiei! If you're not too busy, I need to talk to you!"

The detective's annoying voice caused him to still, as Kagome suddenly stiffened and began pulling her shirt back together. She was already putting the buttons back into place by the time he realized that the detective, in all his _idiocy_, was still pounding at the door.

"Hey, I know you can hear me in there!" Yusuke yelled. "And I don't really care if you're trying to go at each other, either! Besides, if you want to do that shit, you should take your mate home instead of dragging her into the nearest room the moment the sun goes down! I might not care what the old hag thinks, but I doubt she appreciates you using her home for sex!"

Kagome looked horrified, as she tried to bury her face as far into her hands as she could. Hiei leaned back, watching her, and turned his head to growl at the detective just behind the door. True, he _had_ been a little impatient and dragged his mate into his old room, but did that idiot not know what _privacy_ was?

"Hiei!" It sounded like there was a bit of humor in the detective's voice that time, and Hiei easily caught it.

Oh, _now_ the detective was dead.

He could not even be left alone at night with his mate without some idiot trying to take her away from him. And no doubt the fool was just trying to cause more trouble, which he was definitely managing to do from the look on his mate's face.

"_Hiei!_ Are you coming?"

A tiny giggle followed after it, and he instantly identified it as the detective's female.

Standing, Hiei growled. The situation was easily dealt with, as his claws twitched. If they would not allow him to have time alone with his mate, fine, they would _all_ die. So, he began to stomp toward the door, more than ready to get rid of the entire problem, though he had no doubt Kagome would try to stop him.

She would simply have to live with it, he decided when he heard a second giggle. They _all_ had to die, plain and simple.

_--Fin_


	5. The Hardest Decision

**Title:** The Hardest Decision

**Summary:** He wished he _never_ had to decide.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 2,006

* * *

"Come now, _mate_. Don't look at me like that." Tendrils of black swam across her beautiful blue eyes, and his chest twisted with the sight. "This is, after all, _your_ fault."

A deep growl filled his chest, as he glared at the demon a little harder.

"But, I suppose I should thank you," the demon chuckled. "If you haven't played with the jewel, I wouldn't have had the power to escape."

A gasp came from behind him, and he growled. He had not meant for this to happen. He had only _touched_ the damn thing for a second, curiosity getting the better of him. He could not have known that his mating bond with its guardian would allow the demon within to suppress the purity with a single touch.

As if the demon knew what he was thinking, she slowly smirked. "Oh, don't be that way. You couldn't have known that _she_ didn't want you to touch it because of a prophecy told to her just before she returned to this world."

His curiosity showed a bit as he shifted his head.

"Of course." Tiny fangs peeked out across her bottom lip. "You don't know about that either. I'm surprised she never told you, but she was probably just waiting for the right moment—when she could _finally_ get rid of that cursed item—"

Quietly, in the back of his head, a voice called out. He recognized it instantly, and felt a strange emotion swell in his chest. '_That's not why_,' it called. '_That's not why I didn't tell you_.'

"—But I suppose I _can_ tell you," the demon continued. "It was a dark night when it happened, and I only caught a glimpse of it from behind that cursed holy woman's seal. Your little girl was returning home when her incarnation came to her, and told her that her place was not with Inuyasha. By her tampering with the jewel, her incarnation had managed to see what no one else could see—the future. And she told your little girl exactly what she saw, and warned her that _this_ would happen if her demon mate ever grabbed a hold of the jewel."

It figured. Hiei had heard enough about Kikyo to know the spiteful bitch would tell his mate all about the event, just so she would lock it away and heighten his curiosity. The dead woman had probably known that that was exactly what would happen, and planned it just so she could watch it from the sideline. And the mere assumption made him almost wish the miko was still alive.

'_No_,' her voice whispered. '_She told me that if I locked it away, you wouldn't be hurt. That's why I did it—why I never told you_.'

"I, from my damned prison, saw more than what your girl saw. Her incarnation had not lied for the most part, but she had not told the truth when it came to _why_ the event would happen. It had nothing to do with your curiosity, gained from your interaction with the fox demon, but with the curse she had placed to make sure that Inuyasha remained within her hand." The demon chuckled, allowing his mate's face to contort with the evil smile. "She did a good job of it, obviously."

Yes, that woman definitely deserved a third death.

"But, nevertheless, it _is_ your fault," the demon said. "You have released me, harming your mate in the process, but I am not here to reprimand you for such things. No, I am here for something much, much nicer."

Before the demon could even tell him what it was, his mate's voice flew across his mind. '_Hiei, whatever you do, don't agree with what he wants. Don't give into him_.'

"You see, I like you," the demon nodded. "You are dangerous, forbidden, and willing to do whatever it takes to make yourself stronger. I admire that in you. Thus, I will give you something if you return the favor."

"And what is it you want?" he finally spoke.

'_Don't give in_.'

"I am going to take over this pitiful world, and rule it as I should have before that bitch Midoriko locked me away." More black tendrils swam into his mate's beautiful blue eyes, darkening them to the point he almost could not see through it. "I have learned, though, while in isolation from the rest of the world, that one cannot do such things alone. They must have someone trustworthy at their side; someone able and willing to do whatever they wish of them."

He could see the demon's point.

"And, I wish to give you the _opportunity_ to rise above these pitiful and weak friends of yours, and stand at my side. If you choose to agree, I will make you greater than the Gods. I will flood you with the power of the jewel, and make sure that no one ever questions your authority or freedom again."

Growling, he asked, "What if I don't want that?"

The demon smirked, saying, "I always have an ace up my sleeve, hybrid. If you choose to agree, not only will I make you great, but I will allow you have your mate back whenever I deem it appropriate." At his sneer, the demon chuckled. "Don't think I can't do it. You should know by now that I can."

Slowly, the black faded away from his mate's eyes. The demon's aura remained, strong and pulsing, but he felt his mate's leak through from the background. Then, beginning to run, she called out to him. "Hiei, don't! Please, don't allow him to win!"

"Kagome!" In his surprise, he called out, ready to try and keep her from the demon's grasp again.

She stopped suddenly, the black swarming back into her eyes. Her face twisted back into an evil grin, and the demon's voice spoke. "In time you will get used to the idea, but she will be your mate and _only_ your mate when you are allowed to have her. I will not interfere with anything you do with her, though I might suppress a few of those rebellious thoughts running through her head."

'_Hiei—'_

"So, what do you say, hybrid?" the demon asked. "Will you stand at my side? Or will you lose your mate forever?"

'—_if you must, kill me._'

Shock raced through him, as the words echoed in his head. Kill her? How could he ever—

'_Kill me. Kill us both. Just don't let him win._'

No.

'_Please. Please, don't let him win._'

There had to be some other way.

"Well?"

'_Hiei!_'

There had to be—

"Don't keep me waiting all day."

'_Hiei, kill us! Get rid of the problem! Please!_'

Yusuke called from behind him, "You can't seriously think he'll agree to that!"

"Yeah!" Kuwabara agreed. "Short-stuff might not be the best person, but he would never go with you just so he could spend time with his mate whenever _you_ decide he can!"

'_Hiei, please, kill me,_' her voice was starting to fade away. '_Please, before he manages to cut this link!_'

He took a step forward, and soon it was followed by a second one.

"Clearly, you don't know your _friend_ very well," the demon chuckled. "A demon will do anything for their mate. And when they are out of reach, a demon will do everything in their power to just _touch_ them once more."

"You're sick!" Yusuke hollered. "Using Kagome against him like this!"

'_Kill me—kill us…_' The words were stringing together, and becoming unclear.

He _would_ not. He _could_ not.

'_Please…_'

It went against everything he had ever promised himself. He had promised to honor his mate, though he had been surprised when he gained Kagome. He had promised to protect her, especially when he learned how attracted trouble was to her. He had promised to cherish her, love her the best way he knew how, and never harm her in a way that might break her.

"What do you expect?" the demon asked. "I am a demon, I only know the meaning of cruelty. Everything else is up in the air until I deem it necessary to understand it."

'_Hiei, you must…_'

"Urameshi?" Kuwabara's voice drifted over the air, questioning, as he stepped in front of the demon. The big oaf would never understand, that was for certain, but Hiei did not expect him to.

"Hiei! Hiei, what the _fuck_ are you doing?" Yusuke yelled.

"So," the demon smirked, "you have come to a decision?"

Quietly, he answered, "Yes." He _could_ not harm his mate. He did not even think he was capable of harming his mate. So, in the end, this would be for the best.

'_Hiei, please… Don't let it end like this._'

"I see," the demon smiled. "You have chosen your mate over your friends. That _is_ a good choice, hybrid. I was almost afraid I might have to kill you." The demon reached up, lightly touching his face with the fingers of his mate's body. The claws trailed down, cutting deep, and marking him.

"Hiei!" The detective and the oaf had called together, and they both sounded hurt. Betrayed. It could not be helped, though, because there was simply no way he could hurt his mate. Eventually they would come to understand that, even if they were faced with the decision of hunting him down.

'_No, Hiei…_'

The demon leaned forward, pressing the length of his mate's body against the hybrid. "Now," the demon said. "For your decision, I will give you a treat." His mate's lips pressed against his, despite the demon's control.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, she pulled away. "Hiei, please! Please, kill me!"

Tears were streaming down her face, and his hand reached up to touch them. He tried to convey to her silently that, no, he could not do that. There was simply no—

"_Please_."

The desperation in her voice hit him hard, and he realized how much the demon inside of her was hurting her. Changing her. Trying to shift her personality to the point that she would _never_ be his mate again.

That was _not_ acceptable.

The decision glared him in the face, and in a single second he made his choice. There were yells from all around him, but he was aware of only one thing. One thing. The single choice he had made, and instantly regretted.

Blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth, as Kagome smiled. Her lips pressed to his lightly, as she leaned against him. "Hiei," she whispered, allowing herself to fall further on the hand buried deep in her gut. "I love you. I'll always love you."

The demon leaked through, growling, "How dare… you! I will—"

The beast's life ended with a twist of his hand, and Hiei leaned into the body of his mate. She was so limp, so fragile, and his body shook lightly as a single tear gem skidded down his cheek. He fell to his knees with the body in his arms, trying to hold her as close as he possibly could to preserve the heat.

"Hiei?"

A growl filled his chest, as his crimson eyes shifted to the detective. "Go away," he hissed. "Get away."

The detective did not go away, though, as he tried to reason with him. And the oaf was quick to follow suit, as they tried to explain to him that Koenma might be able to bring her back. But he knew it could not be so. The demon had tied itself with her, and it would take too long for her to destroy the tainted soul. She could _not_ be revived that way.

The knowledge made him grip onto her limp body. Her blood was staining the front of him, but he did not care. He only wanted to depress over his decision by himself, and hoped that the detective and foolish human would realize that. He hoped they would leave him, because he wanted to mourn alone.

_--Fin_


	6. Another

**Title:** Another

**Summary:** It was a win-win situation.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Can I have a kiss?" for The Deadliest Sin; November 5

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** 465

* * *

**Note:** Ok, we have something sad. Now it's time for something happy!

* * *

"Oh, come on! It's only a little piece of caramel! Try it!"

"No," he told her flatly.

She smiled, allowing the pretty expression to stretch across her face. Then, softly, she asked, "Please?"

Again, in a blunt voice, he replied, "_No_."

"It's not going to hurt you," she huffed. "It's only candy!"

"I don't care," he growled. "Get that disgusting piece of human trash away from me."

"Hey," she scowled. "First, it's not disgusting, and second, you'll like it. So just take a bite!"

"Woman, how many times must I tell you 'no' before you understand the meaning of the word?" he asked.

"I don't ask you to do anything!" she declared. She offered the piece of candy again. "So, will you at least do this one little thing for me?"

"Hn," he muttered.

"Was that a yes?" she asked, hopeful.

"No."

"You know, I can go get something else!" she finally said. "You might not even like caramel at all. So, what about chocolate or vanilla or strawberry? Those are really good, too."

"I don't want any," he told her.

"Please!" she pouted. "This is the only thing I'll _ever_ want from you!"

"What is your reason for shoving that garbage in my face in the first place?"

"That doesn't matter," she continued to pout. "But, please, Hiei! Just a little taste!"

"A taste?" he finally asked, annoyed. "Of anything?"

Her smile brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Here—"

His hand snagged a hold of her shirt with lightning fast reflexes, and he pulled her forward. She gasped in surprise, as he crushed his mouth against hers. His tongue took advantage of the situation, dipping into her wet mouth, and he was pleasantly surprised when she melted into his side.

Finally, pulling away, he glared down at her. "Are you happy now? I have tasted _something_ that you have to offer."

Her face was red, as she touched her lips gently. He sat stiffly, waiting for her to respond. However, she surprised him again when she spoke softly. "Hiei?"

"What is it _now_?" he asked. He swore, if it was another attempt at making him eat that ridiculous piece of food she called _candy_, he was going to strangle her.

"Um," her face deepened in color. "May I have another?"

It took a moment to register in his mind, but once it did, a smirk slowly stretched across his face. The young woman flushed a little more at his look, but he grabbed her chin before she could look away. "Woman—"

"Kagome," she reminded him.

"_Kagome_, if that is what you want, I'll be more than willing to give you more than just one," he stated. Once he was sure his point had gotten across, he kissed her again, deeply.

_--Fin_


	7. The Star Catcher

**The Star Catcher**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho.

**Summary:** Injured and alone, Hiei is surprised when someone saves him.

**Warning:** Talk of death, slight language

**Contest Entry Theme:** Enter the Dragon; for The Deadliest Sin board

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 4,547

* * *

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, drawing a thin trail of red across his skin. Subconsciously he was aware of that fact, and he cursed the one that had left him with a gapping hole in his side. Not to mention the poison, which had an equally fair chance of killing him.

He did not regret the battle, though. He was glad he had killed that bastard, whether or not he had been wounded in the process. He was delighted that, finally, he got to see that bastard lying in a pool of his own blood. Of course, he would have liked to know the other demon killed his opponents by pumping them full of poison, but he supposed his enemy would always keep something closely guarded.

Allowing his eyes to slip closed, he wondered if this was his final moment. It would not make a difference to him, though there were many more enemies he would have enjoyed killing. And, though he hated the weakness in the thought, he would have liked to find his sibling. He would have liked to find out whether or not she had been treated well, but he supposed it did not matter all that much.

He had never planned on telling her that he was her sibling, anyway.

He could feel the poison burning beneath his flesh, drilling a path through his veins, and he hissed lightly. It did not really hurt, probably because of how numb he was beginning to feel, but it was uncomfortable. And he supposed that having any type of poison rushing through his body would be an uncomfortable experience, but he did not want to make a habit out of it. He preferred to stay away from anything that could eat him alive from the inside.

It was almost peaceful, the way he was dying. His body was not designed to fight off such a lethal dose of poison and it attacked his healing capabilities before his body could seal up the wound at his side, but it was peaceful nonetheless. The Makai was strangely quiet, only the rustling of leaves drifting across his mind. Soon, though, he knew that peace would be torn to shreds when the lower class demons smelled his blood and came to feast upon his flesh.

A smirk crossed his face. He anticipated that moment, because it meant he would have a chance to rip into the flesh of someone else. His last few moments would be in chaos, blood slowly sinking into the ground and turning it red, before he became too weak to fight them off. That was how he imagined it, not the peaceful, slow slip away from reality he was currently experiencing.

The eye on his forehead, still healing from being implanted, opened beneath the bandages placed upon it. He had never been told the full extent of what it could do, but he knew that it opening could only mean a threat had entered the area. His smirk got wider with the knowledge, though he never opened his eyes, and he allowed the Jagan eye to search the area.

It pained him a little, despite the numbness of his body, as he tried to control it. He knew that the eye could easily control him if he was not careful, but his stubborn nature forced the eye to only do its duty. Protect its host. Protect him, for it knew that there was a slight chance of surviving if they were not discovered. It was foolish to even try now, but he was not about to give up the opportunity to rip into another's flesh once more before he died.

The eye focused on a single energy, large and bright. It was drifting high above him, barely noticeable with the distance between them. The Jagan, true to its nature, tried to penetrate the mind of the flying creature, and it was only then that the energy seemed to realize he was even there. It changed course, heading in his direction, and blocked out any attempt the Jagan made to destroy its mind.

Strange, he had never heard of a creature, demon or human, capable of blocking the Jagan. The very idea of such a creature made him want to kill them even more, because they could prove to be an interesting opponent. Not only that, but it would not bode well for him to let such a dangerous creature stay alive, for the ability to block out the evil creation was not one that should stay within the land of the living.

Even if, in death, he would have no reason to care about it.

A roar filled his ears, and he cracked his eyes open weakly. His strength was leaving him, despite his wish to do battle, and he found it hard to even look upon the creature hovering in the sky. It was becoming difficult to focus, and he cursed his weak body, while the stretch of silver drifted down to the ground. He caught sight of a flash of black, gliding slowly like water, and deep pools of the night sky filled his vision.

His wound throbbed with pain, while those deep pools stared at him, blinking. Subconsciously the Jagan flared in warning, but the creature was not deterred. It leaned closer to him, that slowly gliding blackness filling his foggy vision, and he was certain that he had come to his final moment. His death was near, and he could feel his soul waiting for the moment to grasp a hold of it, even as a soothing warmth rushed into his wound and traveled into the rest of his body.

Another trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth, as his eyes slipped closed. The faint burn of poison drifted through his flesh, but the soothing warmth was in hot pursuit. And the battle inside of his body began, even as long, strong claws settled around his body and lifted him into the air.

The eye upon his forehead quieted in that instant, while he slipped into darkness.

* * *

He was unaware of anything for a long time. He drifted in and out of consciousness, never quite grasping onto the sweet, sweet reality of life, and remained deep in the euphoria that latched onto him. He had no concept of time, and only recognized the hazy, distant feeling of delight.

That was, until the day when a faint, sorrowful sound drifted into his ears.

He became painfully aware of reality in that moment, as his eyes snapped open. The sound drifted around him, creating a dense and mournful atmosphere, but his mind was too preoccupied to care. His hand instinctively searched for his sword, as his vision tried to focus in the darkness. He found no sword, but once his vision settled, he easily found the source of the music filling the area.

A young female sat upon the edge of a cliff just outside the cave he found himself within. Her long black hair made it impossible to tell what she looked like, but the mere smell of the cave told him that she was indeed a female. A long flute extended to the side, her nimble fingers continuing to play the haunting tune she had chosen.

Not trusting her, or anyone really, he pushed himself into a sitting position. He winced inwardly at the action, settling his hand over the wound at his side. Looking down at it, he realized that though it had not healed completely, it had been bandaged and well cared for. His eyes narrowed, though, because he knew that the wound should have killed him. He had been waiting to find himself being judged in Reikai, yet clearly his soul had never left his body.

How had he survived?

Realizing that the music had stopped, he swiftly turned his eyes toward the female. His gaze was intense, narrowed, as he silently analyzed her stance and tried to assess what her goal was. No one in the Makai saved another just for the hell of it. They always had a reason—especially in his case, since they should have left the dreadful forbidden for death—and they always wanted something in the end. But, though his slight concept of honor might scream at him to repay what had been given to him, he would not hand anything over to that female even if she demanded it.

Her voice replaced the sad tune, and his eyes focused upon her smiling mouth. Appearances were deceiving, he knew that, and he did not trust her smile at all. However, he did listen, as she said, "You shouldn't move around too much. There's still quite a bit of poison in your system, and moving too much will only cause it to attack your body as quickly as it did before."

He remained silent. His glare only darkened, as he processed the information. It was a solid piece of advice, and she sounded genuine, but he still found no reason to believe a word that came out of her mouth. She might have saved him, but she was still an unknown that could end with a million different possibilities, none of which looked good for him.

"In case you're wondering," she continued, turning her face away once more, "you've been here for a week, feeding from my energy. It's helped you recover, but I'm afraid your body will have to do the rest."

In a sharp tone, he growled, "And you expect something in return for this energy, don't you?"

Light laughter surrounded him, as her shoulders shook. She shook her mass of black hair, never once turning back to him. "If I expected something in return, I wouldn't have stopped to save you. I know what you are, and I know that there was a mass of lower level demons coming to feed upon you, so doing so only risked my life."

"That doesn't answer the question." If only he had his sword. He would cut the bitch down to size, instead of letting her force this humiliation upon him. He would rather have let those low class demons eat him than be saved by some thieving bitch that played with her words.

"I wasn't finished," she sighed, before muttering something about hotheaded males. "I was going to say, before you rudely interrupted, that I wouldn't have risked my life if I wanted something in return from you. I'm not that type of person, whether you want to believe it or not. I merely saw that you were trying to cling to life, that you wanted to live, and that determination made me believe you deserved to be saved."

"There has to be—" he began to insist.

Her eyes turned back to him, and for the first time he focused upon them. They were a bright blue, blazing with an inner light that set him on edge. That, however, was not the oddest thing about them. Even in the distance between them, they seemed to glitter and shine with tiny specks that could have resembled stars. And that little piece of knowledge made him mind grasp onto his memory of deep pools of the night sky staring at him while he lay dying.

When she spoke again, her voice had hardened. She said, "There are no strings attached. I saved you because I could, because you could be saved. I want nothing from you, and you will just have to live with that."

* * *

He remained only because he was still too weak to leave, watching each day as the female moved about. There were little things she did that caught his attention, but it was what she did while he slept that truly interested him. The Jagan saw it all, allowed it to play in his mind, and he knew he would have never knew she did it if it were not for the implant.

Each and every time he slept, she came to him, silently. She knelt at his side, stretched out her hand, and allowed her strange silver energy to fill his body. He never felt anything, never knew it was there, yet she allowed him to feed from her and then stepped away. A cloud of black smoke would rise from her mouth, and she would leave, only to return before the sun rose above the horizon.

It was odd.

She was strange in many ways, though. She never acted like a demon should. He realized that when he made her angry, and had expected her to kill him on the spot. The fact that he was injured should not have mattered to her, yet she had simply huffed and left him alone. She returned later, her frown gone, and forgave him silently for no reason.

Of course, he knew that from the simple fact she had saved him at all. She should have shunned him like the rest of their race. She should have driven her hand through his gut and helped him die, instead of taking her time and energy to care for him. She was making the rest of the Makai her energy simply by helping him, yet she did not seem to care. She cared only that he got better, and that alone made her suspicious.

* * *

"That eye of yours seems very interested in me."

Her voice cut through his thoughts, as he turned toward her. He had realized that long ago, around the second day after being stuck in the blasted cave she had brought him to. The eye was very curious about her. It never attacked her mind, even though he had believed it would attack any and all minds if he did not control it. It merely tapped against her barrier, before retreating when she lightly knocked it away.

Deciding that today he would gift her with a response, he said, "It is curious about what you are."

"Well, it only had to ask and I would have told it," she smiled.

Frowning, he asked, "Then what are you?"

She straightened up, stepping away from the pile of food she had gathered. "I am the oddest of the odds," she chuckled. "I am a solitary creature that gets lonely from time to time, and decides to take in the weak and wounded in order to gain some company." She had skipped around his question, and she knew it from the twinkle in her eye.

"That is not what I meant," he growled. The cunning bitch was always finding ways to avoid the questions he issued. When he had asked why she decided to live so far away from the rest of demon society, she merely said she preferred the high altitude. When he had asked why she kept such a large stock of food, she told him she did not like to leave her home often. When he asked why she risked her life to save a demon that could kill her upon awakening, she said that she liked to live with danger.

All of her answers were twisted away from what he wanted to know. All of them never really answered his question. And all of them made him wish he knew where she had hidden his sword.

Her star filled eyes stared at him for a moment, before she sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you," she said. "I am Kagome and I am a dragon. I'm not surprised you don't remember, since you were on your last legs when I found you."

"You're a silver dragon," he replied. He remembered a silver creature coming upon him, but he had chalked that up as his imagination. He supposed, though, that it would make more sense for the female to have been in full form when she brought him to her lair.

"That's right," she nodded. "But, I'm not just any silver dragon."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Smiling mysterious, she shook her head. "How about I find out the name of the famous forbidden child, and then I'll tell you what I mean."

An answer for an answer. It was an easy exchange, but he did not plan on staying long enough for her to find out his name. So, narrowing his eyes, he decided to find the information out some other way. Surely he would be able to pry her mind open, or find someone on the outside that could tell him about the infuriating dragon.

"Well," she said after a moment, "if you want to be that way, I suppose you'll just have to stay in the dark, won't you?"

* * *

She was playing that depressing tune again.

Holding his side, he walked to the front of the cave and wished he were fully healed already. He wanted to go far away from the stupid dragon, whose mind he could not get into, and away from that damned music she was constantly playing. Both grated on his nerves, made him want to grit his teeth together, and his last string was about to snap.

Gazing out at the land far below, he snapped, "Don't you know how to play anything else with that thing?"

She halted, turning to look at him. "Yes."

"Then why do you constantly play the same one over and over again?"

"Because I like it," she smiled. That smile angered him, because she should not be allowed to smile while talking about such a sad tune. "It reminds me of a lot of different things that I like to remember, and _that_ makes me happy."

Glaring, he sat down upon the ledge. Her logic often confused him, and he did not want to know why a sad tune would remind her of people or items she wanted to remember. That probably meant they had been killed, lost, or stolen away from her, and she used the sad tune to remember the time before that happened. But, again, her logic was ridiculously put together and he doubted he would ever understand it.

She raised the flute to her lips once more, and surprisingly, played another tune. It was much more lively, and had a certain bounce to it, but it instantly set him back on edge. He snapped at her, "Stop playing that irritating thing."

"You do remember that this is _my_ home, right?" she asked.

His eyebrow twitched. How could one forget such a thing? She lived on one of the highest peaks in the Makai, far away from where other demons would have roamed. Only a few flying demons ever came close to the mountain, but they always steered away from it at the last moment. His only guess was they either knew what awaited them at the top, or they could not stand listening to that mournful tune she always played.

She raised the flute up once more, determined to play whatever she wished to play. However, he had snatched the item before it even reached her lips. When she realized it was no longer in her possession, she yelled, "Hey! That's mine!"

He snorted, because it should be clear to her that he did not care.

"Give it back!" she cried, reaching for it. Her eyes pooled with black, while her anger rose. He had seen it many times before, so it did not bother him, but he was _not_ about to give back the stupid instrument. Again, she yelled, "Give it _back_!"

"No," he stated, holding it just out of her reach.

Her voice darkened, a clear threat lying beneath the surface. She hissed, "Give me back my flute, hybrid." The blue in her eyes had disappeared beneath the sea of black, only the tiny stars managing to peak through, and he saw the night sky in those orbs. But, what interested him was the way her skin began to take on a faint silver hue, scales forming along the edge of those black pools.

Without a weapon, and knowing he was not at full strength, he held the flute back out to her. She latched onto it, her anger dissipating the moment it was back in her hand. She took a single look at him, her eyes not returning from that deep abyss of darkness, before she stood up.

"I'm sorry," she said, "its just, this item is very precious to me."

Watching her closely, he was a little surprised when she stepped off the cliff. She fell beneath the clouds that formed around the peak, away from his sight, before a great roar entered his ears. Only a moment later she rose back above the clouds, high into the sky, her gliding black mane slowly twisting behind her as her long, silver body slithered through the air.

* * *

"Hiei."

She glanced at him in surprise, blinking rapidly. "What was that?"

He had decided that he had recovered enough to leave, but the mystery that surrounded the dragon was annoying. Not only could she block out the Jagan, but he also knew basically nothing about her. So, in his momentary lapse of judgment, he decided to tell her his name and find out what she had hidden from him for so long. He wanted to know, even if he never caught another glimpse of her, and _only_ because it could help him in the future.

So, again, he stated, "Hiei, that is my name."

Slowly, she smiled, remembering. "Ah," she said. "I see. You want me to tell you what I am, do you?"

He did not see a reason to answer her, considering she should know that was exactly what he wanted. He would have rather left without ever having to tell her his name, but he wanted that piece of information. It could help him become stronger, and he wanted that especially.

"Well, maybe I don't want to tell you now," she chuckled.

He growled. A bitch till the end, obviously. First she says she does not want anything from him, but when she offers a deal and gets her end, she decides to keep her bit of information. It was exactly like a female to do such a thing, and his growl became louder.

"Oh, don't growl at me," she muttered. "I planned on telling you."

Frowning deeper, he continued to glare at her. She was sitting with that stupid flute in her lap, simply staring at him. "Well?" he asked after a moment. His urge to leave was great, because he did not know how much more of the dragon he could stand. Yes, she was an intriguing mystery, but she was not intriguing enough to make him stay when he could be out living, fighting, and continuing in his search.

"Don't you know how to ask please?" she asked. When he did nothing more than scowl, she sighed. "Fine. I, as I told you, am not just a silver dragon. I am different, as I'm sure you have noticed."

"Get on with it," he snapped. His need to leave was growing with each passing moment, his body wishing only to move forward, while the dragon continued with her solitude. He did not have time to waste on her getting to the point, especially when he knew how far she could stretch it out.

"The reason I always leave at night," she said, "and the reason I live this high up, is because I am at my full strength when the starlight shines upon my scales. I soak up the energy they give off, I feed from it, and I use that energy to sustain this form. I can feed from other things, since I do get a lot of nourishment from the food I have here, but I do most of those fancy tricks that irritate you by feeding from the night sky."

"That is how you block the Jagan?" he asked, curious.

"That's what you call it?" she asked in reply. When he simply stared at her, she nodded. "Yes, I use the energy I build up over time to block out that pretty little eye of yours. It's not really hard, considering you can't control it all that well, but I suppose that will change with time."

He nodded at the information, knowing that if he ever found another starlight feeder, he would kill them. He would allow their blood to spill over his hands, and only to know he had defeated an enemy that could have become a fearsome opponent. He would kill the dragon, too, if they ever met again. For now her life was saved, because though she wanted nothing in return for saving him, he decided that a life for a life was good enough. But, the future held many possibilities, and when he became stronger, he would not mind battling the dragon.

He turned away from her, ready to leave the solitude the dragon had created for herself, when she spoke again. She said, "I know what you're thinking, Hiei, but you don't have to worry about that. I'm one of a kind, and you won't find any other that feeds the way I do."

Curious, again, he turned to blink at her silently. His eyes held his question, and she smiled a bit at him.

"When I was reborn," he wondered briefly at what she meant, "I was given my ability. But, it extends so much farther than you could imagine, because I often times feel like I hold the universe in my hand. I know when it began and I know when it ends, and that is so hard to bear. So hard."

She raised her flute back to her lips, and began to play that tearful tune. It echoed out into the area, filling the area in a mournful atmosphere, but he had already turned away. He had heard enough, had learned enough, and now he was ready to return to the thick stream of demon society. He was ready to dive back into the harsh reality of life, and leave the peaceful, sad solitude that the dragon had created so high above the rest of the world.

If he had his way, he would not return there for a long time. Because, no doubt, if the strange star catcher ever knew he was laying on his deathbed once more, she would probably take the time just to save him again. And, he did not want that to happen until he was positive he could stand up against the dragon, because though she was mystery that needed to be solved, the ancient calling in his blood demanded he fight her. Prove he was worthy of the knowledge, and that he was capable of taking out such a deadly enemy.

That was his plan, but first he had other things to accomplish.

_--Fin_


	8. Late

**Title:** Late

**Summary:** Human terms might _not_ have been the best thing to use.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 855

* * *

Her hands wrung together nervously, as she stared at the tree before her. She _knew_ he was up there, watching her, but she could not swallow the lump in her throat. How was she going to tell him that she had missed her period? That she had taken that stupid little test two weeks after just to make sure and found out she was pregnant?

_Oh God, what if he hates me?_ she gulped.

She quickly shook away that thought. It was partly his fault that this had happened. There was no way she was just going to let him turn his nose up at her and leave after she told him. It took two to create such a problem, and he was clearly half the equation. Even if he did say he hated her, that he never wanted to see her again, she was _not_ going to let the little demon get away from her that easily.

Finally, sighing, she stepped forward until she was at the base of the tree. She glanced up, catching those beautiful crimson eyes, and felt her heart pound. She was just _so_ nervous already and she was more than ready to turn tail in order to flee. That would not help, though, she knew, since it would start to become rather obvious after a while.

"H-Hiei." Damn her nervousness. She was stuttering like a fool. "I need t-to talk to you."

She jumped a little when he landed next to her, and blushed underneath the curious stare he cast her. Her hands began to press together once more, her fingers trying desperately to find the most comfortable position to settle in. The feeling eluded her, though, and she was left with nothing but a deep pit of hectic nerves when he finally spoke.

"If you don't have anything important to say, you shouldn't have called me." His tone was even, but he was clearly getting impatient with her lack of speech. Kagome almost choked on her tongue, though, when he turned to retreat back into the tree.

"I—" Oh God, why did it have to be so hard?

He paused, turning to her, and she knew that it was now or never.

Unfortunately, when she spoke again, her sentence came out in a tiny whisper. She hoped that his demon hearing had caught it, but she often times forgot that he was _not_ a dog demon—or half of one—and could not hear as well as she often thought he could. So, it really should not have been a surprise when he blinked.

"You're going to have to speak louder," he scowled. "And stop that stuttering, it's annoying."

_Damn it, just_—her thought process could not keep up with her mouth. She whimpered, "I'm late."

"And that's my problem how?" he asked.

Looking up in surprise, Kagome could have sworn she was slapped in the face.

"If you're late, you should be going, not whimpering to me about it," he finished.

It took her a moment, but she finally realized that he was talking about leaving. And he was looking at her as if she expected him to suddenly ask him to become a pack mule. He _clearly_ did not understand what she had just said to him, and Kagome almost slapped herself in the face. Of course he did not understand the human terminology for a missed period, considering he did not take the time to interact with them often, and she really did not know if female demons _even_ had periods.

She whimpered again, wishing she had taken the time to ask Sango more questions about the demon race. It would be a good thing to know if female demon's had a period, since then she would be able to know if Hiei actually did _not_ understand what she was trying to tell him without _actually_ telling him. And if they did not, at least she would _know_ if she needed to take another course of action.

"For someone so concerned with being late," he huffed, "you don't seem to be that interested in wherever you're supposed to be."

"No, no, no!" she almost shouted. "I don't need to go anywhere!"

He narrowed his eyes, and his look clearly stated that she was stupid. It almost made her whimper again, because if it was not for her _little_ problem at the moment, she would have sworn he hated her. "Then why did you come to tell me such a stupid thing?" he hissed in annoyance.

Upset that he just was _not_ getting it, Kagome blew up. "Because I'm pregnant, damn it!" She finally allowed herself to shout. "It is not _my_ fault that you don't understand that!"

He blinked, and a blush quickly spread across her face. Then, he surprised her. "Stupid girl, why didn't you just say that in the first place? It's not like Kurama's nose didn't already pick up the change."

Again, she had to stop and think. But, once the information processed through her head, she screamed in his face. "_Then why didn't you tell _me_, you_ _ass_!"

_--Fin_


	9. Inherited

**Title:** Inherited

**Summary:** It was all her fault.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** 424

* * *

The pout definitely distracted her from the yummy treat in front of her face.

"Katsuo? Honey, is something the matter?"

The child pouted a little more, his foggy crimson eyes drifting up to the glass cup she held in her hand. "Mine doesn't look like yours, mommy," he complained.

She smiled, saying, "I told you to put the ice cream in first."

"But—" Katsuo realized that he had not done that, but he did not understand why his looked so different. Hers had foamed up surprisingly—_amazingly_!—while his had only fizzled a little.

"It doesn't work all that well if you put the soda in first," she told him. "You have to keep adding ice cream that way, and the soda starts to lose its flavor."

Katsuo put his head down on the table, staring into the glass full of murky brown liquid. It did not look right and he did not want to eat it.

"Here." She reached out, picking up the glass and placing her own in its place. "You can have mine."

"Really?" Katsuo smiled. He had already grabbed the glass, intent on eating the yummy dessert, but he knew to ask first. His mother always told him it was polite and he wanted to please her. So, when she nodded, he dug into the glass using the spoon she had left in it.

"There, all better now."

"Does daddy want some?" Katsuo asked. He glanced in the direction of his father, watching as the matching crimson eyes slid over to him from the window.

"No," the older male stated.

"Why?" Katsuo asked. He _always_ asked. And people always said he was like his father in most ways, so he never quite understood why the older male refused to touch the sweet treat.

"Because you inherited that disgusting habit from your mother."

His mother's eyes slid over to him, a slight frown on her face. Katsuo wondered if they were going to fight, since they did that once in a while, but his mother only growled. Quite well, too, since he knew she was not a demon like his father. "Thanks, Hiei. That was a wonderful way to explain it."

"Hn."

Katsuo decided to block the rest of their conversation out, as he dipped back into the treat before him. He might have been curious at first, but he had more important things to do. Like eating his delicious treat, since it was much better than that murky thing that had ended up forming in his glass.

_--Fin_

_

* * *

**KibaSin:**_ I realize that I keep going on and on about how Hiei doesn't like sweets, but whenever people try to say he does, I just get angry. There's no evidence of that fact in the manga or the anime. Nuff said.

_Kiba_


	10. Double Damn

**Title:** Double Damn

**Summary:** He just had to insist, didn't he?

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Busted!" for The Deadliest Sin; November 19

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 244

* * *

She had to be quiet. She _had_ to. But, but it just felt so good.

She wriggled a little more, trying to get out of the constricting shirt when he tugged insistently on the material. She _had_ to get it off! She was burning up just from the feel of his mouth and his mind connecting with her, and _oh_, did he have to feel so good?

A strangled moan escaped her lips, his desire pumping through her body. She could not believe how much he wanted her, how much she wanted _him_. But, she _had_ to have him. She had to have the feel of his lips against her neck, suckling away at the dark mark he had created. She had to have the feel of his hot breath hitting her skin. She _had_ to!

"_Kagome!?!_"

She snapped up, barely avoiding hitting the male growling at the young man standing in the doorway. "S-Souta?" she asked timidly. Her mind was so fogged over with the pleasure of finally getting to touch that which she had dreamed of and wanted for so long that she barely registered that her younger brother _was_ actually standing in the doorway.

"Mom!" Souta yelled. "Kagome's trying to have sex in the house!"

She squeaked, nearly shoving Hiei off of her. She could still feel the caress of his mind, but she _had_ to get out of there. Her mother was going to kill her!

"Higurashi Kagome!"

_--Fin_


	11. Coy

**Title: **Coy

**Summary:** Let the fox think she was just being 'coy'.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 685

* * *

He took her hand in his own, stating, "Kagome, I would like to apologize for my actions earlier today."

"Mhm," she nodded. Her eyes sparkled, "And, are you telling me this because you're actually sorry or do you just want into my pants?"

"Would you hold it against me if it was the latter?" he smirked.

"I might," she growled.

"Then I truly am sorry for my actions," he replied. He dipped his head, bringing her hand up to his mouth, and allowed himself the pleasure of kissing the flesh there. His eyes never left hers, trying to dig deep into her soul and make her finally realize how much she wanted him. However, the little priestess was _extremely_ stubborn. "And I hope that you will forgive me."

She slipped her hand out of his, and pulled away. "I'll think about it."

"Don't allow yourself to think too hard," he muttered quietly, "I would not wish for you to hurt yourself."

A glare replaced her calm expression, as she huffed. She did _not_ take kindly to the comment, and she was not about to let him stand there and insult her. So, she turned on her heel and marched away, snarling, "Ass."

He flicked his eyes over to the side as his silent friend touched the ground, before returning his gaze to the little priestess. She was angry with him, but she did not seem to realize that _her_ ass was giving him quite a bit of entertainment as she stomped away from him. Swinging so deliciously back and forth; yes, it truly was a sight he could savor.

"Are you actually _trying_ to get yourself purified now?"

"Of course not, Hiei," he chuckled. "I'm simply playing the game."

Hiei snorted, stating, "I doubt the girl is playing your _game_."

"Oh, but she _is_," he nodded. "She is just being coy, at the moment. Eventually she will realize that she is not resistant to my charm and come crawling into my bed."

The hybrid blinked at him silently.

Smiling a bit, he continued, "No one can resist the charms of a fox demon, not even a priestess. So, really it is only a matter of time before I am able to collect my prize. Though, if you wanted a piece—" His eyes flashed golden for a single moment.

"Leave me out of your petty games, fox," Hiei hissed.

"You're simply no fun," he laughed.

The other demon shook his head, before disappearing.

Once more, the fox demon allowed his eyes to flicker in the direction of his prize. The young woman was already out of the sight, and he would allow her to stay that way for a while to cool down. But, soon enough, he would finally have the little morsel in his hand and find glory in the feeling of her flesh.

Kurama was certain of that.

* * *

Coy? It was a ludicrous thought.

The hybrid demon almost snorted because of it, as he stepped into the small, secluded, woodland area. His nose was already twitching, and he found the scent he wanted to find with ease. His eyes followed afterward, finding the hidden strip of river and the woman that was kneeling in its depths. They traced over her bare back, sliding down much like the droplets of water that she splashed up onto her skin.

How beautiful she was.

The woman turned her head slowly, fluttering her lashes and smiling just for him. If he did not know any better, he might have thought she was some sly water nymph waiting to drag an unlucky man down into a watery grave. "Well?" she called. "Are you going to join me?"

A smirk stretched across his face, as his hands set to work on his clothing.

What was the fox thinking? Coy?

"Hurry up," she continued. "I know you can undress faster than that."

As he stepped into the river, he decided to let the fox think what he wished. Sooner or later he would figure out the _real_ reason as to why she always turned him down.

_--Fin_


	12. Coincidence

**Title:** Coincidence

**Summary:** She made it just _that_ much better.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** PG-13

**Word Count:** 424

* * *

His nose twitched just slightly as he neared the room, taking in the thick scent that wafted out from underneath the closed door. He really should have known. Kagome took every reason she could find in order to give him a special 'gift'. She always wanted a reason, something to make it special, but he did not see the point. Every moment was special in its own right; it did not need some fancy name attached to it.

Really, she did not need to go to all the trouble.

It was only pure coincidence that his date of birth landed around the holiday humans celebrated in winter. And it really was only coincidence that Yukina had mentioned the day to her, her mind instantly processing that she had another reason to give him something she considered special. And that Koenma had happened to call him away just before the day for a short mission, giving her time in order to prepare herself.

"_Hiei_." Her voice called out to him from behind the door, low and heavy in such a way that he did not need to smell her arousal to know what she needed. She obviously knew he was there from the way she spoke, and he twisted the doorknob in order to press the door out of his way.

A light blush adorned her cheeks when he looked upon her, and he found it slightly endearing that she could still do so after all the things they had done together. She wore next to nothing—just a small slip of an outfit. The purple material was riding high on her overlapping thighs, while a thin strap had fallen from her shoulder. Her hair was wild and strewn around her like a taunting black curtain, just waiting for him to pull it back and find the secrets hidden beneath.

The finger running up her leg caught his attention, as she said, "Are you going to come here or stand there all day?"

A smirk lifted itself onto his lips at the question. Her sultry tone contrasted well with her innocent blush, painting him the perfect picture. And he did not care, in that moment, that she was only presenting herself to him because of a minor coincidence. She made the moment all that much sweeter, and he planned of utilizing the moment.

"Oh, I'm coming," he hissed, while his hand subconsciously swung the door shut behind him.

_--Fin_


	13. A Simple Day Out

**Title:** A Simple Day Out

**Summary:** After a while it just got ridiculous.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Snow Angel" for The Deadliest Sin Board; December 5

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** 339

* * *

Rubbing her hands over her arms, she let out a tiny puff of carbon dioxide into the chilled air. The fog formed before her mouth, as she called out, "Katsumi! Don't go too far!"

The small girl, slinking through the large drifts of frozen water, glanced back at where her parents stood. She smiled brightly, her pretty, glittering purple eyes showing her acceptance of the command as she nodded.

Smiling, Kagome huddled into her oversized jacket a little more. "I should teach her how to make a snow angel," she sighed. "It's just _so_ cold."

"I thought you said that jacket would keep you warm?" her mate sighed, glancing down her body. He was actually rather happy with the temperature, considering the child she was carrying did not need her to go gallivanting in the snow anyway. Besides, Katsumi would realize sooner or later that she could easily throw herself in the snow and wave her arms in an attempt to change the appearance of the frozen water to her likeness. It was _not_ a hard concept, and she was a smart girl.

Huffing, she frowned at him, "I thought you said you could keep me warm even _without_ the jacket?"

Smirking, he allowed the temperature around them to rise steadily.

"Hey!" she whined. "You're melting the snow!"

"You were the one complaining you were cold," he retorted.

"Stop it," she cried. It was going to get in her boots! "There's water everywhere!"

"Hn."

Finally, having had enough, she called out, "Katsumi! Come on, honey!"

The small, pretty purple-eyed girl came skipping through the snow. She blinked up at her mother, frowning just slightly at her expression, "Mommy?"

Reaching out her hand, Kagome said, "Come on, Katsu, we're going back inside. I'll have to show you how to make a snow angel some other time."

"B-but why?" Katsumi whimpered.

Taking the child's hand, she cast a dark look at her mate, still standing in the puddle he was creating in the grass. "Because," she stated, "daddy's being a jerk."

_--Fin_


	14. Impossible

**Title:** Impossible

**Summary:** She was right and he was definitely wrong.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "It's stuck" for The Deadliest Sin; January 12

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 826

* * *

"Ouch! Don't pull on it!"

"How else do you expect me to get it undone?" he scowled deeply.

"It's stuck, not broken!" she snapped, irritated. "It'll work perfectly fine _after_ I manage to get this damn zipper to move!"

Removing his fingers from the irritating piece of fabric, he watched as his mate tried desperately to pull the zipper down. His anger was quickly replaced by amusement, though, while the small woman growled and tugged insistently at the thing.

She was _never_ going to get it off. But, knowing Kagome, she would refuse to ask for his help until she knew she needed it. He, of course, would help her once she asked, _again_, but until then he was more than willing to just watch her huff and puff in annoyance over the little thing.

Personally, he had a much easier solution.

"Damn, stupid thing," she moaned. "Come _off_."

Slowly, he smirked.

"Stop giving me that look, Hiei!" Kagome cried. Her blue eyes danced like a fire, trying to scorch into his flesh, but the hybrid remained calm and continued to stare at her. "This isn't funny!"

After a moment, Hiei replied, "If you had allowed me to remove it earlier, this would never have happened."

She stomped her foot, tugging at the zipper a little more. She was going to prove to him that the damn zipper could be fixed. Not only because it _could_, but because it was her favorite dress. "Oh, yeah, I'm sure you could have," she huffed. "However, I also think you should think with the brain in your head once in a while."

"Tch, _good one_," he snorted.

"Don't mock me," she snarled, allowing her eyebrow to twitch a little in frustration.

"There's no need to," he replied. "You're doing an awfully good job of making a fool of yourself without my help."

Kagome's face turned red, as she scowled at him. Some mate he was, mocking her _and_ throwing it back in her face. "Real mature, Hiei."

He shrugged in response, returning to his silent vigilance. She would see it his way soon enough.

Kagome returned to pulling at the zipper stuck halfway up her dress, trying to get it undone. It _would_ come undone. It _would_. There was no way it would hold out forever. Especially when there was an irritating hybrid watching her futile attempts to fix the damn thing. But, it seemed that, _like always_, fate was _not_ on her side that night.

She tugged a little harder, not wishing to tear the fabric. "Damn, stupid, _stupid_ thing," she mumbled. "Come _off_!"

"You know—"

"Shut up, Hiei!" she snapped. The irritating material would come a part. It _would_. She just had to be careful not to break it, since there was a high chance that her luck would ruin the dress completely.

"Kagome—" He tried, he did, but it was rather humorous watching her tug and tug.

"Don't laugh at me!" she cried in outrage. "It's not my fault that the stupid thing decided to get itself stuck!"

Shaking his head at last, Hiei turned to leave the room. Watching her take out her frustration on the little slip of a dress was amusing, but it was certainly not something he planned to use in order to pass the time. Especially when there were far more important things he could be doing.

Blinking in surprise, Kagome asked, "Where are you going?"

"Out," he replied.

Understanding that he was leaving her to fix the dress herself, since she could not get out of it at the moment, Kagome pouted. "But," she began, "you're supposed to be helping me…"

"You said you didn't want my help," he shrugged. "Or don't you remember?"

"Uh, well, you pulled too hard and the zipper dug into my back," she said softly. "And, besides, do you honestly think I'll ever be able to get out of this thing? I can barely reach the zipper as it is."

His hand landed on the doorknob, twisting it open, while his mate pouted at his back.

Biting her lip, Kagome suddenly sighed through her nose. She was going to have to ask for his help, even if she knew the dress _could_ be saved. It could, but it appeared that the poor, poor fabric's luck had run dry. Completely, utterly dry. So, at last, she mumbled, "Please help me out of this dress, Hiei."

"And?" he urged.

"A-and," she blushed, "I won't complain the next time. I promise, just please, get me out of this thing."

Before she could blink, the fabric fell away from her flesh in shreds. She made a small sound in the back of her throat, not having expected him to move so quickly, before his hands were grasping onto her arms. "You know," she growled lightly, "if you'd just cut the straps, I _might_ have been able to—"

He silenced her easily with his lips.

_--Fin_


	15. Defining Difference

**Title:** Defining Difference

**Summary:** She forgot once in a while that they were completely different people.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Prompt:** "Déjà vu" for The Deadliest Sin; March 8

**Rating:** PG

**Word Count:** 1,757

* * *

"—and to think, I, Masanori, managed to find the beautiful and unmated priestess from ancient lore!"

Oh_ god_, if only she had her bow.

Though, she sighed, the dragon demon _was_ not evil. He just wanted to extend his family, and he wanted a powerful female to do it with. Should she _really_ wish to lodge an arrow somewhere in his body because of it?

Masanori continued, boasting, "Just you wait, little priestess, they'll _all_ be jealous when they know that you're _my_ mate!"

Yes, _yes_ she should, but she did not think she had it in her to shoot an arrow even if she had one. Masanori simply could not understand that she did not want his affection, his devotion, or to be his mate. He did not even understand the concept. No, instead, he snatched her up when she was waiting for Hiei to show his face and believed that dragging her into the Makai, across the land, and into his den would make her want to strip naked and make millions of baby dragons with him.

It was just _not_ going to happen. Not in her lifetime, not in his, and not _even_ in the darkest corner of her mind.

"—but, there will be no need to worry!" he grinned, flashing his razor sharp fangs. "I will protect you, whether those bastards want you or not. They will never manage to touch a hair on your head while I'm watching over you, I promise."

Oh, poor guy. Kagome bit her lip, hanging her head a little more.

"Don't look so depressed, little priestess, for if you wish it, I will fight and defeat them _all_ for you," the dragon stated. "Nothing will stand in the way of our love, and I will _never_ give up something that is mine."

The possessive tone in his voice changed Kagome's mind for a second. If she _did_ have that arrow, she probably could shove it up his—

"I cannot wait until our mating night," Masanori suddenly purred. "I am positive you will look ravishing, and—"

No, _no,_ she could not.

He just reminded her _so_ much of Kouga. Admittedly a _more_ pathetic Kouga, but Kouga nevertheless, and she never wished to think that she might be able to hurt the awestruck dragon demon, because it would be like admitting that she could do the same to the charming wolf demon. True, he still used every opportunity he could get to call her "his woman", but she could never imagine harming one of her friends.

"—Oh, _yes_, I'm positive Kaida will be happy to do it. She'll love you, after all!"

Resting her head onto her hand in a rather awkward position, Kagome frowned. The fact that the dragon demon reminded her of Kouga had to be significant somehow, but she could not quite put her finger on it. Yes, Masanori _did_ share quite a few of Kouga's characteristics, but there was something _else_ about the situation that rubbed her mind in a way that she knew she _knew_ and it escaped her grasp each time she tried to remember the reason why.

It had to be Tsubaki's fault. Ever since the dark priestess, thoroughly aged and lacking in training, found her in her own time, she had been coming after her every chance she got. And the last time, Kagome was positive the other priestess managed to block some of her memories from the feudal era. Hiei said he could find nothing wrong with her mind, but she was _positive_—absolutely so—that Tsubaki had done something to make her forget small bits and pieces.

How else could she explain the sense of déjà vu that bit at her heels?

"—Oh! Yes, let us not forget—!"

Kagome blocked out the dragon demon's voice, while she frowned in concentration.

"—_and_—!" Masanori continued.

Maybe Hiei was right. Maybe she was just starting to block out the stray memories from the feudal era and trying to place blame on the dark priestess—who, admittedly, could not do much anymore—so they did not hurt as much. Her friends had changed, after all, and she _was_ sad that she had not been there to watch them grow and strive in various ways. She was not depressed about it, _but_ she did wish that she could have been there, helped them through the struggles and understood the reason they chose to change the way they did.

Not only that, but she _did_ miss trekking across the untouched soil of feudal Japan. She _did_ miss taking in the sweet, fresh air that had yet to be polluted by man. She _did_ miss spending time beside the fire at night, watching the billion stars in the sky, and telling stories with Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, and Shippo.

Masanori seemed to sense the change in her mood, as he came to a stop. His brilliant sea green eyes focused on the bit of shoulder that he could see, as he asked, "What troubles you, my little priestess?"

"You just reminded me of something," she mumbled. "That's all."

"I did not mean to cause you pain," Masanori said softly.

"You didn't," she confessed. She tried to stay clear of the fact that Sango and Miroku were now dead. "It's just I'll never be able to go back to that life, what you called ancient lore, and I'll never be able to see my friends marry, have children, and rebuild what they lost. I'll never—"

Masanori waited a moment after she paused, then said, "You speak of your human companions, yes?"

She did not respond, choosing silence.

Frowning, Masanori shook his head. Then, he continued, "Do not worry, little priestess, as soon as we are mated, I will rid your mind of those thoughts. I will make you wake with need to the point that you will not be able to—"

Kagome's eyebrow twitched a little. Almost instantly she scratched out her pervious declaration that she would _not_ harm the dragon demon. He had better hope he did not have any stray arrows lying around, otherwise he might find one threatening the piece of anatomy he was currently thinking with.

"—then, your time will be devoted to caring for our young," Masanori boasted. "You had better be prepared, little priestess, because there _will_ be many. Dragons mate for life, and once you are rightfully mine, I will make sure those other fools know it by extending our line as quickly as your body is able."

Kagome blinked. He _really_ was a lot like Kouga.

"So, don't worry your pretty little head anymore, priestess," he stated, "for—"

He began to stride forward, his quick pace instantly telling Kagome that he planned to take flight once more. She braced herself for the sudden upward movement, completely ignoring his sentence. However, she was surprised when he came to sudden stop.

"What is the—?" Masanori began.

Fluidly, in one motion, the new demon pulled his sword from the sheath at his side. He growled, "You will release the priestess this instant."

Perking her head up, Kagome smiled, shouting, "Hiei!"

His crimson eyes barely settled on her, before he barked, "_Now!_"

Masanori shifted his stance, hissing, "As if I would give _you_ what is mine."

"You do not seem to realize that I could kill you with ease," Hiei scoffed. Did the fool actually think he could put up a challenge? He was a low-class dragon at best, and it would be simple for him to cut him into pieces.

"You would risk the life of this woman?" Masanori challenged.

"You would put her in danger?" Hiei retorted.

Masanori flattered, giving Kagome enough time to wriggle free from his shoulder. She landed a little hard on the ground, but she managed to avoid Masanori's hand as he reached out to grab her. "Hiei!" she called again.

"P-priestess!" Masanori gasped, watching her bound toward the other demon. "He's the Forbidden Child. Stay away from him!"

Coming to a stop at Hiei's side, Kagome turned to scowl in Masanori's direction. She replied, "I know perfectly well _who_ he is, thank you very much! And I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about him in that tone of voice!"

The dragon demon gapped in bewilderment.

Hiei smirked, saying, "Now—"

"Wait!" Kagome yelled, grabbing Hiei's arm. "You can't hurt him, Hiei."

Blinking, Hiei growled, "What do you mean, I _can't_ hurt him?"

"He didn't mean any harm!" She remained firm in her decision. After all, she had stopped Inuyasha from hurting Kouga. "He was only trying to… find… a…"

"Kagome?" Hiei asked quietly.

She _had_ stopped Inuyasha from hurting Kouga after she helped the wolf demon with the Birds of Paradise. She _had_ listened to Kouga's constant devotion, the wolf demon planning to one day sweep her off her feet, even though Inuyasha growled and whined in the background. She _had_ known that Kouga wanted to make her strip naked for him and create millions of baby wolves.

Suddenly, Kagome giggled a little.

"What have you done to her, hybrid?!" Masanori demanded, when she began to laugh out loud.

Grasping Hiei's shoulder to keep her balance, she giggled, "This is just like that one time—" She stopped, unable to say it. Then, she gasped, "Hiei, you're Inuyasha, and Masanori is Kouga!"

Hiei snarled, disbelief clearly written on his face. How dare she compare him to that half-demon!

Masanori blinked, not understanding.

"I knew there was a reason this seemed so familiar!" she laughed.

"Be silent!" Hiei finally snapped.

"_But—_!"

"Unlike that foolish half-breed," Hiei hissed, "I will rid the world of those that think they can claim you! I will not cater to your whims, nor will I allow you to sway my decision on killing this dragon!"

Realizing that she had angered Hiei, Kagome yelped when he shoved her away in order to attack Masanori. "Hiei!" she shouted after him. "You can't! Masanori's innocent!"

The hybrid did not listen, slashing his sword in Masanori's direction and forcing the dragon to protect himself.

As Hiei released his new found anger on the dragon, Kagome realized that, once again, she had made a mistake. Yes, the situation _was_ very similar to when Kouga kidnapped her from Inuyasha, but it was _not_ the same situation. Hiei was _not_ Inuyasha and Masanori was _not_ Kouga, and she was not entirely sure if she could stop Hiei from killing the dragon.

"_Hiei!_"

_--Fin_


	16. Like Father, Like Daughter

**Title:** Like Father, Like Daughter

**Summary:** There was no doubt about it. In the end, she would always be daddy's little girl.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** K+

**Word Count:** 487

* * *

"Shh, sweetie, it'll be okay." Kagome smiled, glancing around when she realized the little reunion had turned to stare at them. "Mommy'll get you a new one."

"Bwwuttt, I don'a wanna new wone!" The little girl rubbed at her ruby eyes, and felt the tiny gems beginning to crystallize near the corners roll down over her flesh. They bounced as they hit the ground, scattering in every direction, though her mother tried desperately to keep them nearby. "I wanna mine!"

"_Hey_," Kuwabara shifted uncomfortably. "Aren't you going to do something, shorty?"

Hiei shrugged, stating, "It will pass."

Sending a dark glance in his direction, Kagome tried to reason with her child. "But this one is ruined, Etsuko. You'll be just as happy with a new one, and if you're good, mommy will let you have another later," she said.

"_I wanna mine!_" Etsuko screamed.

"That's definitely yer kid, Hiei," Yusuke chuckled in the background. "She's got yer stubborn streak."

"I believe your statement is incorrect, Yusuke, since Hiei _and_ Kagome both have a very stubborn nature," Kurama replied.

"Whatever," Yusuke scoffed.

"_I WANNA MINE!!_" Etsuko stomped her foot for good measure.

"I mean it, shorty—" Kuwabara hated to see children cry, "—you've gotta do something about this."

"Go worry about your own offspring," Hiei growled. He did _not_ need to hear how he should raise his child from Kuwabara Kazuma. In fact, he would rather cut out Kuwabara's tongue than _ever_ hear it. "He seems to be showing your stupidity."

"_What'd you just say about Haruo?_" Kuwabara hissed. He would protect any child, but he was twice as protective of his own.

"I believe he's about to put something in his mouth that he shouldn't," Hiei snapped. "And that is clearly a sign of your lineage." Then, for added effect, he added, "At least my child is clean."

"Sweetie?" Kagome asked, frowning when her little girl stopped crying altogether.

"_You little basta_—!" Kuwabara began, only to find himself swimming in darkness.

Nudging him with his foot, Hiei said, "And I would also appreciate it if you did not use such language in front of her, fool."

"Hiei!" Kagome gasped. "That was completely uncalled fo—!"

Etsuko giggled again, clapping her hands together. "Daddy's awmazing!"

"Etsuko!" Kagome snapped. "Don't encourage him."

"Bwut, mommy!" Etsuko frowned a little. "Daddy _is_ awmazing! He wnocked out that stwupid Haruwo's daddy!"

"Etsuko, how many times must I tell you? Haruo is _not_ stupid, and—" Her speech was clearly being ignored by the little girl, as Etsuko raced away from her side to latch onto Hiei's leg.

"Definitely Hiei's kid," Yusuke snickered.

Hiei merely smirked, while Kagome sent him a deadly glare that told him Etsuko was his child and he could deal with her for the rest of the night. And, as he patted his child's head, he had to agree. Etsuko _definitely_ was his child.

_--Fin_


	17. Predictable

**Title:** Predictable

**Summary:** They tried to hide it so, but Kurama noticed even the subtle signs they used.

**Pairing:** Hiei/Kagome

**Rating:** T

**Word Count:** 344

* * *

Kurama was not blind. He knew perfectly well that Hiei, his long time companion and friend, had been eyeing his underdressed relative for the last hour or more as she skipped across the beach and played lazily in the water.

He also was not stupid. It was obvious that his cousin, usually blind to the opposite sex's advance, was purposely making sure that the small hybrid was _very_ aware of her every movement. She wanted him to notice the way she bend halfway over in order to pick up a ball she could have easily kicked into the air, and the way droplets of water slipped down into her cleavage.

So, really, it did not surprise him when Kagome giggled about her having to use the restroom. She was a very predictable creature, and even her barrier late at night could not keep him from the truth—

"Hey, Kurama!"

"Yes?" Kurama blinked, glancing up to find Yusuke standing next to him.

"Where'd Hiei go?" Yusuke asked. "Kuwabara and I wanted to know if he'd be up for a little game."

"While I doubt Hiei would want to play a game with you, Yusuke, I'm afraid that he's probably busy at the moment." Though Kurama could be cruel, and he certainly did not approve of Hiei choosing to ignore demon custom, he supposed it best he did not tell Yusuke the full details.

"Oh," Yusuke grinned, "so you finally figured out that he's been pummeling her in the _good way_, huh? I mean, he's probably got her stuck up against some wall and screaming right about now."

Kurama merely shook his head. Hiei and Kagome were very predictable, it seemed, if even Yusuke had picked up on the subtle glances they shot at each other.

"But, hey, you wanna play?" Yusuke asked. "Shizuru and Keiko already agreed, and the two lovebirds can be on the same team when they get back. Though, really, I won't be surprised if Hiei tackles Kagome in the sand after a while."

"I suppose." Kurama agreed. "What are we playing?"

--_Fin_


End file.
